Twelve staples, a hundred dishes

Fermented freshwater fish — the deep, funky bass note under samlor, dips, and stir-fries. Cambodia’s soul in a jar.

Buying note · Buy it in a jar and keep it in the fridge; a little goes far. Bloom it in oil or wrap it to steam — never raw off the spoon.

Everyday salt. The daily seasoning that salts, rounds, and deepens nearly every savory dish here.

Buying note · Look for a short ingredient list — anchovy, salt, water. The first-press bottles are worth it; keeps at room temperature.

Sap of the sugar palm, boiled to a soft caramel. Rounder and less sweet than cane — it builds the backbone of a samlor and every dessert.

Buying note · Soft blocks or paste over hard pucks — easier to melt. Store airtight; it hardens in dry air.

The GI-protected pepper of the southern coast — floral, warm, citrus-edged. Not a like-for-like with ordinary black pepper.

Buying note · Whole peppercorns, not pre-ground — grind fresh. Green, red, and black each have their moment.

The long-grain fragrant rice at the center of the table. Cambodian phka rumduol has won world’s-best more than once.

Buying note · A recent harvest smells sweetly of pandan. Rinse until the water runs clear before cooking.

Short-grain sticky rice for num ansom, kralan, and steamed sweets. Soak it, then steam — it never boils like plain rice.

Buying note · Sold as "sweet" or "glutinous" rice; soak at least four hours before steaming.

Dried flat rice sticks for the national breakfast soup. Soften in warm water, then a quick blanch to serve.

Buying note · Medium-width sticks are the all-rounder. Keep a bag in the cupboard for any noodle craving.

The sour edge in samlor machu and dipping sauces. Fruity, tangy, more mellow than lime.

Buying note · Seedless pulp is the workhorse — soak and strain it yourself. Concentrate is faster but flatter.

The richness in amok, curries, and sweets. Unsweetened, canned, with a high coconut-extract percentage.

Buying note · Read the label for 60%+ coconut. The thick cream on top is worth spooning off for finishing.

The bright citrus perfume in amok and kroeung. Dried leaves keep for months; fresh or frozen are better still.

Buying note · Dried is a fair backup for the pantry; buy fresh or frozen when your grocer stocks it and freeze the surplus.

Tiny sun-dried prawns that add salty depth to salads, dips, and som lor. Toasted or pounded into kroeung.

Buying note · Pink and pliable, not grey and brittle. Store in the freezer to keep them sweet.

The wrapper and the steamer-liner — for amok cups, num ansom, and grilled parcels. Sold frozen.

Buying note · Frozen leaves thaw in minutes; pass them over a flame to make them supple before folding.