Noum Bai Chok by the Waterfront, Sihanoukville

Noum Bai Chok (not sure about the spelling), yet another yummy Cambodian dish that came straight our way as we were slurping our mango smoothies, is rice noodles and herbs in a fish curry soup. It's made on the spot by the trusted smiling vendor who wanders around the beach carrying all the products on her shoulders. First she piles a bowl with assorted fresh herbs: mint, banana blossom, green beans and others we could not identify.

Then, she adds a handful of fresh hand-made rice noodles and covers the lot with a hearty fish curry broth.

All that was left for us was to add the condiments of dried/fresh chili, salt and sugar to our liking. God bless.

A word of advice: the best food on Cambodian beaches is sold by these mobile vendors.

Prawns on the Beach, Sihanoukville

Snack vendors roam the sands of Sihanoukville (as in the rest of the coast), offering fresh homemade local treats. We courteously flagged down a passing woman carrying a large platter of piled steamed prawns. After choosing our desired creatures (10 for $4) she cracked them open and peeled the outer layer, so our fingers won't get messy. She then sliced the sides sprinkled salt and pepper and added a squeeze of lime. All we were left to do is indulge.

The Shop, Phnom Penh

Our first choice for brunch in the capital, The Shop serves good sandwiches and coffees to a hungry expat clientele.


The Shop Bakery. 39, 240 street, Phnom Penh
tel: 023 88 60 12/023 986 964

Cambodian Fish Products

The basic ingredient in Cambodian cooking is salty fermented fish paste. We happen to visit a factory that makes this staple in many varieties. The fish is cleaned, de-boned and thrown in a pile on the floor, where salt is added. The pile sits to ferment for two-three weeks. It is then chopped and transferred into large vats where it ferments even further. Different fish, seafood and spices make for different types of paste.

We cannot describe the smell that surrounds the village.


Close by, fish are sun-dried, smoked and sold in brick size bundles. Bits of dried fish can sometimes appear in cold salads or as a beer snack.

Rice Paper, Cambodia

Another small family factory we encountered was making rice paper for spring rolls. An easy task when the whole family helps out.

Batter, made from rice flour and water, is spread on a white cloth over steaming water.

It quickly (about 20 seconds) becomes solid and is placed on tubes to be transferred to bamboo drying racks. They dry in the sun and are packaged for the market.

Sticky Rice in Bamboo, Cambodia

Our first day in Cambodia included lots and lots of tastings by the side of the road. We hired two friendly moto-bike drivers/in-the-know guides to show us the many makeshift family businesses in the villages of Battambang. Most villagers grow rice, but the profit is meager and not enough to support their families. So, many add some income by producing hand-made food products.

One of the more common products is sticky rice in bamboo. This fun snack is picked by the side of the road and has a dense and glutinous texture of sticky rice with a delicate tase of coconut. It is made from rice, coconut cream, salt and black beans all roasted in a bamboo shell. The process is long and difficult:

First the bamboo is cut into 30cm pieces (using a manual saw)


The pieces are cleaned and filled with the sticky rice mixture.


The tops are sealed with crumpled banana leaf and then placed to roast on a grill for half an hour.


When they're ready, the burned shell of the bamboo is removed with an axe.

The final product is peeled like a banana, and you eat it with your hands.