Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

khmer breaking news today - Do you want to try the neighborhood foods when you're travelling in a new country? Would you relish wandering the winding back streets of the strange, bustling city to find unique street food or even a local restaurant offering traditional local dishes? If that's the case, a trip to Cambodia might be well worth it.

Cambodian cuisine is frequently overlooked or forgotten near the interest in its neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Thailand. Indeed, many traditional Cambodian dishes are given to these countries, given their common historical influences. However many Khmer dishes their very own flavour, ingredients, recipes and traditions, giving Khmer cuisine a distinct identity of the own. Traditional cuisine in Cambodia was nearly destroyed during the horrors of the Khmer regime within the 70's, however recently it has definitely been undergoing a revival, with cooking classes now offered in many of the main tourist centres. When travelling through Cambodia a cooking class is undoubtedly a worthwhile experience, and you will find many dishes which can be strongly suggested and value keeping an eye out for.

Cambodian meals are predominantly relying on rice and fish. The country is covered with wetlands, and the monsoon rains, which come from April, inundate the colourful green rice paddies through the country. The Mekong River which travels through the heart of the country holds an astonishing quantity of freshwater fish, and Tonle Sap Lake is assumed to get more fish than every other lake on earth. So it is no surprise that rice and fish are staple ingredients in Cambodian cuisine; rice especially is eaten every day along with most meals and something key ingredient which signifies food as distinctly Cambodian is prahok, a crushed, salted, and fermented fish paste.