Rural Recipes

Rural Cambodian cuisine preserves the most traditional Khmer cooking practices, relying on foraged ingredients, freshwater fish from the Tonle Sap lake and Mekong tributaries, and home-produced prahok (fermented fish paste) as a fundamental seasoning. Cooking is resourceful and seasonal, with dishes built from what the land and water provide. Grilling over wood fires, simmering in clay pots, and steaming in banana leaves are everyday techniques. Signature dishes include samlor korko (hearty mixed vegetable soup), trey chean (pan-fried whole fish), prahok ktis (minced pork with prahok dip), and ang dtray-meuk (grilled squid).