Liep's Cambodian Restaurant, Cremorne, NSW

Today’s Cambodian cuisine began to evolve a thousand years ago when the Khmer Kingdom, which centred on Angkor, ruled an empire that included most of Southeast Asia. Hence, many of the Thai and other regional dishes have their roots in Cambodian cooking from that time. Cambodian recipes go back to the days before the introduction of the chilli, so are consequently much milder than most Asian food. The chilli was unknown in Asia until the 16th century when it arrived with the Portuguese. Over the centuries, Cambodian cuisine has incorporated foreign influences, like curries from India and noodles from China. However, it is still a very distinct cuisine with its own flavour, recipes, and traditions.