My visit to Cambodia wasn’t preplanned. I decided to fly after abruptly deciding to go hiatus for a while, so, I just took off without an agenda. As soon as I landed, the warm air that hit me felt familiar – like a hug from my mum when I’m not at my best of moods. So, I perceived that I have come to the right place. Just when I was feeling positive about my decision, that’s when I heard it. My stomach grumbling like it hasn’t digested anything for ages. I realized I’m starved so I threw my bags into the hotel room as soon as I checked in, and without changing, carried my fanny pack with some change of cash in it and decided to do something crazy. I decided to try street foods in Cambodia for the entire day. Everything I could eat like a local would, because my stomach felt like it could take up the challenge so, why not?

You can’t miss sandwiches when talking about the best street foods in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh Street foods. These Cambodian sandwiches are commonly found in every street food stall so it’s hard to not stop one. They use baguettes – a French bread that was introduced to Cambodia by the colonizers. These stuffed baguettes are packed with nutrition like fiber from the lentils and protein from the meat. The meat is usually ham or pate while the number of vegetables would surprise you, and some veggies you might not even seen or heard of. The usual veggies are cucumbers, onions, carrots and herbs like basil or chives.

Non-arachnophobic peeps! This is for you if you’d like to try a sizzling challenge. You will be in for a shock to find how insects and frogs are commonly consumed here. These delicacies are approved by people of Cambodia, and they consider it to be one of the best street food in Phnom Penh and the approval isn’t an exception when it comes to Siem Reap Street food. One of the reasons why insects became edible is due to the famine experienced by Cambodians in 1970, which was normalized and was passed down to generations that still enjoy savoring it. Though it may sound unappetizing, the taste isn’t that bad. A well-seasoned spider tastes crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and literally tastes like chicken.

If you’re a seafood lover like me, who wants a hearty seafood meal, then this is for you! The big squid is first marinated with spices and lime juice; it is then barbecued carefully to retain its flavours and ensuring it’s cooked evenly. And then the vendor will spice things up for you by serving it with a chili dip. The sauce is both sweet and spicy which will make you fall in love in the first bite and then leave you addicted in the second. Squid grill stalls are widely found everywhere so it’s easy to spot one, if you can’t, then the aroma will help you locate one!

Made from the flour of glutinous rice, these Chinese inspired cakes are locally approved by Cambodians and are loved by locals. Crispy crust and soft inner side make every bite a delight and creates an unforgettable aftertaste that leaves you craving for more. And the spicy and sweet sauce added to the flavour – it makes me salivate even now. You can easily find a Nom Ka Chai stall in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Prepared and eaten at gathering and celebrations this Cambodian hot pot dish can be commonly found in street stalls too. It is prepared by cooking all the ingredients like seafood, vegetables and meat in one pot. The basal ingredient for the soup happens to be coconut milk. There are different variations for this dish and the most famous one out of those is Chhnang Plerng, that uses butter as its base instead of coconut milks with herb seasoning. Having it cooked right at the table with a set of friends would be a fun thing to do.

Short fat rice noodles are cooked with other ingredients like bean sprouts, chives and Chinese broccoli. This Cambodian Street food is cooked in a large wok, and generally cooked with beef and topped with a fried egg. It is only complete when the sauces are added to it, which is sweet and spicy, with a choice of extra spice upon request. I tried it and realized that this meal is fit for the angels because it popped taste buds with flavours that I could not identify a single flaw, it was too good for me to even comprehend! You can usually find this in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

“Gribbit, gribbit!”, probably that’s the frog that croaked last night, and this morning it turned into a street food! Yes, I know it is shocking and may not sound very appetizing, or if you’ve made this this far while eating something, then I’m sorry for ruining your appetite. Not for everyone but some daring some, who would like to try something different from the usual yums. Kang Kep Baob is literally translated to “frog stuffed with stuff”, at least that’s what they told. The stuffing is usually, chopped frog meat, coconut, saffron, citronella, peanuts and other veggies into a frog skin which looks hilarious, but it tasted so good. At first, it’s sun-dried for 15 minutes and then fried or grilled. The meat was tender and wasn’t over-cooked and perfectly flavoured.

Looking for a special treat for your sweet tooth? Then you shouldn’t miss the glutinous rice cakes in bamboo. It’s basically glutinous rice that is cooked with black eyed peas, grated coconut, and flavourful coconut milk. It is slow cooked in coal fire which adds a hint of smoky aftertaste which adds flavour to the rice. The rice used in this dish is brought from Battambang, famous for its rice productions. This dish supposedly makes you feel full, but its delectable taste left wanting more.

This bonne bouche meal doesn’t look appealing but tastes divine. Prepared from fertilized chicken or duck eggs, aged till they reach a certain consistency suitable for boiling. It is usually eaten right out of the egg shell, and are not served in bowls or plates. Rich in protein, these eggs can be seasoned with salt, lime juice and pepper or simple eaten plain.

The Cambodian food culture is not any different from other east Asian culinary scenes. I’d personally ask you to try the local dishes with an open mind. And the best way to balance the flavours of the meals is to combine them with condiments, as you know in Cambodia, food is usually served with condiments like lime, fish sauce or chili. If you like to try authentic food, then step into the markets and street food stalls. To follow the etiquettes of eating, always remember to use your right hands even if you’re a leftie, for using left hand is considered unclean and is frowned upon. If you’re invited for a meal in Cambodia, it’s worth knowing that you should allow the host to serve first.   

I came back to my hotel with a stomach full of street food and that’s something I have never done in my entire life. Each food I tried was either roasted, grilled, fried or cooked to perfection. The flavours took me to a whole new dimension. Even the simple rice dessert was top-notch. The Lort Cha was out of this world. I even returned to some food the next day for it was too addictive and my tongue was just hooked to the flavours of Cambodia. I can describe it forever but it’s nothing like trying it on your own. So, let me know what is that one food from the list made you go “Wow!”