Cambodian cuisine is built around rice, freshwater fish, herbs, vegetables, fermented ingredients, and aromatic pastes. Its flavours often move between sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savoury rather than relying solely on chilli heat, producing dishes with considerable depth and freshness.

Amok, noodle soups, grilled meats, green mango salads, and sour soups demonstrate the range of Cambodian cooking. Fish sauce, fermented fish pastes, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and fresh herbs are particularly important, while rice remains the essential centre of the meal.