If you are about to go to Cambodia, you should feel very cringing left and right at the weird foods you can see in markets. Make sure to keep an open mind on your Cambodian adventure although they may be a bit stranger than prawn cocktail crisps. These interesting foods will never be too far away whether you plan to live in Cambodia or just to travel the country. Indochina travel Cambodia
Prahok
Prahok- Source: allpointseast.com
Being a kind of fermented fish paste, prahok is an ingredient popularly used in most of Cambodian dishes. Used as a dipping sauce or included in many dishes, prahok is an essential part of the Khmer cuisine but for most westerners, it is an acquired taste. Cambodian cuisine is differentiated from its neighbors thanks to the salty flavor added by the generous use of prahok.
Fried spiders
Fried spiders- Source: www.treklens.com
Foraged from nearby forests or bred in holes in the ground and then fried in really cooking oil and sold as a kind of stunning street food, fried spider is a regional delicacy in Cambodia. The taste is so gentle with different textures; a soft center and crispy exterior. The body and head are made up of soft white meat while the legs contain hardly any meat. A brown paste consisting of excrement, possibly eggs and organs is contained in the abdomen. You will kick yourself if you leave Cambodia without having one though you may not be able to stomach the idea of trying these hairy critters!
Crunchy crickets
Crunchy crickets- Source: matynin-denis.livejournal.com
The millions of crickets that swarm the plains every year, which is considered a pest in many parts of the world, are actually famous in Cambodia. Claimed as a delicacy, the crickets are served up seasoned, deep-fried and crispy. It is also believed that eating Cambodian crickets regularly can aid a long life and improve wellbeing and aids a long life. Cambodia tour packages
Balut
Balut- Source:www.pinterest.com
Being a fertilized duck embryo, a balut is boiled alive and served in the shell. Commonly sold by street vendors and often served with beer, balut is considered as an aphrodisiac and a hearty, high-protein snack.
Frog
Frog- Source: movingtocambodia.com
As frogs are eaten in many other Asian countries, this may not sound as strange to you. However, here in Cambodia, the frogs are sold in large buckets, just as every other food in the markets is sold and skinned alive for freshness. Deep fried or grilled, these frogs can taste quite similar to chicken but slimier flavor.
Monkey Brains
Monkey brain- Source: masternews.gr
Seeing so many meats in Cambodian markets sold out in the open with flies buzzing around must be really disconcerting, but seeing the whole brains displayed on a leaf and sold to locals must be even more disconcerting. It may be best to look away to imagine that these brains are headed to dinner plate of someone.
Fried rice with Ants
Ants are also used in Cambodian cuisine- Source: viettourist91.blogspot.com
It is popular to get fried rice with pork, fish or chicken. But ask for your fried rice with ants for a great source of protein if you want a crunch to your meal!
See more:
- Insect snacks – a foodies show of Cambodia
- Cambodian food culture
- 9 tasty street foods in Phnom Penh
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