Siem Reap has the Soupy, but Not-So-Plain…

After a visit to my doctor, I was advised to give a break to my regular intake of curries, chilies, anything and everything fried. Instead, I was to consume only food that is soupy, plain, and light. Oh great! All because of a seasonal flu, I was subjected to this strict diet.

Soup for me.

The old saying of ‘feed the cold and starve a fever’ is just an old saying. No way I’m going to eat light. But soupy food? Bring it. Being a Cantonese girl, I grew up with soups. And even though Cambodia isn’t exactly a food haven, it does have something good to offer somewhere, in some corner, tucked away. You just have to follow your nose, and look for the crowd.

Fishes to make praho- fish paste/ some call it Khmer cheese!

Cambodian food is a cross balance between Thai and Vietnamese food. Soupy like the Vietnamese, spiced up a little like the Thai, but not as spicy. Following the reign of Khmer regime, the local palate is famously noted for using praho (fermented fish paste) and kapi (fermented prawn paste). The flavours of these fermented paste is distinctive and has a pungent smell to it. It is definitely an acquired taste for any first-timers. Coconut milk is also generously used for most of the curry cuisine.

The humble simple noodle soup

One of the local favourites is the noodle soup. It is a simple dish that I’m often picky with as it takes the freshest ingredients and no stinginess to make this dish. The broth has to be prepared with enough essence base for the soup to taste good. Addictives added will just put me off as it only enhances the taste artificially. Here, springy fish ball and tender chicken shreds are used, with a nice sprinkle of green onions on top for colour. I’m sure I’ll have my doctor’s approval for this dish. Soupy, but not plain like the Malaysian kind, it has a nice hint of lime and spicy herbs for that added point for this Cambodian noodle soup.

Looks deceiving plain but it's bursting with flavours.

A second soupy dish is the Khmer hot and sour soup. This is a nice change from normal plain chicken soup or the off-my-list curry soup. Doctor said no curries for me. He did not mentioned hot and sour. It is a soup after all and it has healthy vegetables, mushrooms, lotus roots and some nice whole chilies added for the kick. It is a fish based soup using prahok. This soup will sure help with my sinus congestion.

A bowl of hearty stew- Caw

Third soup which I want to introduce is actually a stew. It’s counted as a soup too because it’s soupy! It is called Caw. It is made with either chicken or pork with whole eggs simmered together for hours. Take small savouring spoonful and taste the caramelized palm sugar. It is definitely a hearty soup and makes a good snack for the in between meals.

Beer is cheaper than Coke

Last but not least, I heard beer is good for cooling the body down. It helps with fever. Angkor beer is sweet and cheaper than a can of Coke in Siem Reap. Even though I’m not a big fan of beer, but what the heck, it’s cheap.

A great place to check out popular local cuisine, Siem Reap's Old Market is where you should go. Let me know what other good food you managed find at Siem Reap. But first, check out the flights and accommodation at Siem Reap here.


*photo courtesy from BorneoBoy, Karen at RamblingSpoon...