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Chol Chnam Thmay, or the Cambodian New Year, is one of the most important traditional festivals of the Khmer people. This is an occasion for Cambodians to reunite with their families, remember their ancestors, and welcome a peaceful and happy new year.
Chol Chnam Thmay is not just a visual feast but a culinary celebration bursting with vibrant flavors and symbolic dishes. Food plays a central role in the festivities, serving as a way to express gratitude for the harvest, nourish loved ones, and usher in good fortune for the year ahead. Now, let’s check out the Cambodian New Year and its featured cuisine.
Chol Chnam Thmay - an important festival in Cambodia (Source: tour Campuchia)
Chol Chnam Thmay is calculated according to the Khmer calendar, usually falling around mid-April of the Gregorian calendar. The exact date of the New Year may change each year due to differences between the solar and lunar calendars. In 2025, the Cambodian New Year takes place from April 13 to 15.
Chol Chnam Thmay takes place according to the Khmer calendar (Source: Wikipedia)
In Khmer, “Chol” means “Entering”, and “Chnam Thmay” means New Year. Chol Chnam Thmay is an occasion for people to understand filial piety towards their ancestors, grandparents, and parents. These days, daily work will be put aside, and everyone will focus on enjoying the fun activities of the New Year. Many Khmer families will start preparing to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year.
Chol Chnam Thmay contains many traditional rituals and customs (Source: UBND tinh Tra Vinh)
This is not only a festival for people to unite the community but also an opportunity to sympathize with nature through the rain-praying ritual. It is an opportunity for people to express their wishes for a new year of favorable weather and a bountiful harvest and to remember their ancestors. During the holiday, the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh, as well as other provinces and cities, are splendidly decorated.
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Samlor, also known as Khmer Red Curry, is an indispensable dish during the Chol Chnam Thmay. According to custom, during the traditional New Year, at least one person in each Cambodian family will bring food to the temple to ask the monks to perform an offering ceremony to their ancestors. After that, the whole family will enjoy the spicy curry together.
Khmer Red Curry served with bread (Source: Jannie Lam)
Besides chicken or pork, Khmer red curry also uses goat meat, crocodile meat, fish, etc. Traditionally made with seasonal vegetables and herbs, it’s a hearty and flavorful dish that embodies the spirit of abundance. Variations include Samlor Kari (coconut curry) and Samlor Trey (fish curry), each offering a unique taste profile.
Khmer red curry in Cambodia uses coconut milk as the main flavor instead of chili powder like the Thai. So Khmer red curry has an extremely rich, fatty taste and is very delicious. It is often served with starchy foods such as rice or bread, along with a little wine.
Num Ansom is a dish made from sticky rice, green beans, and sugar, with a distinctive, delicious flavor. In addition to steaming, num ansom can be fried or grilled, depending on the occasion. It had similar characteristics with Vietnamese banh tet, a traditional dish in Vietnam Lunar New Year as well.
Num Ansom (Source: amcarmen’s kitchen)
Num Ansom is simple but has many meanings. Cambodians offer it to the gods to show gratitude. In addition, it is also used as a meal for Khmer people when working in the fields, helping them stay full for a long time.
Nom Banh Chok is a rice noodle dish with broth made from snakehead fish, fermented beef sauce, and many other spices. Offering a refreshing contrast to richer dishes, it’s a delightful option during the Cambodian New Year.
Nom Banh Chok noodles are made from Rumduol rice - a breed that has won the World's Best Rice contest many times. The broth is the soul of the dish, determining the quality of a bowl of Nom Banh Chok noodles. The main ingredients include natural snakehead fish, fermented beef sauce, lemongrass, turmeric, coconut milk, and ‘ngai bun’, a special type of ginger.
Nom Banh Chok (Source: To Vegetables, With Love - Substack)
Snakehead fish should be selected from the wild type, still alive when purchased so that when cooked, the meat will retain its firm, sweet taste. During the pre-cooking process, you need to be careful to remove the fishy smell.
Nom Banh Chok is served with vegetables, such as cucumber, okra, bean sprouts, etc. Diners can also add green chili, chili powder, dried garlic, and lemon to the broth, however, Khmer people do not eat Nom Banh Chok with onions.
This creamy and fragrant dish features fish steamed in banana leaves with a rich paste made from coconut milk, herbs, and spices like lemongrass and turmeric. Amok is a symbol of refinement and embodies the delicate balance of flavors in Cambodian cuisine.
Amok Fish (Source: Asian Inspirations)
The main ingredient of Amok is freshwater fish. The fish will be deboned, chopped, and mixed with coconut milk, eggs, fish sauce, palm sugar, chili, etc. One decisive flavor that has to be mentioned is the Kroeung mixture. This special Cambodian sauce is made from turmeric, lemon, shallots, and many other typical spices, helping the Amok taste more unique and impressive.
This Amok fish dish is usually eaten with sticky rice, soy sauce, and a glass of palm wine. Besides the Amok fish, sometimes Cambodians also change this traditional dish with other ingredients such as chicken, beef, pork, tofu, etc., to create a different and diverse flavor.
Amok Chicken (Source: Tenina.com)
A popular appetizer during Chol Chnam Thmay, spring rolls come in both vegetarian and meat-filled varieties. Wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried, they offer a crispy and flavorful start to the festive meal.
Tourists should try the Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls, which offers a light and nutritious culinary experience. This recipe uses rice paper as the wrapper, filled with a delightful combination of cooked shrimp or chicken, green lettuce leaves, Thai basil, mint, rice noodles or bean thread noodles, and cucumber. The accompanying dipping sauce options include a sweet and sour fish sauce with vinegar or lime juice and a hoisin-based sauce, providing distinct flavors to complement the freshness of the spring rolls.
Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls (Source: Delicious)
Another option is Nime Chow. Nime Chow are fresh Cambodian spring rolls stuffed with bright vegetables and wrapped in delicate rice paper. Served with a savory-sweet peanut sauce for dipping, these morsels are perfect healthy appetizers or snacks on their own or as part of a meal.
Nime Chow - a kind of spring roll featured with bright veggies (Source: Mission Food Adventure)
No celebration is complete without sweet treats. Chol Chnam Thmay boasts an array of delectable desserts, including sticky rice cakes flavored with coconut milk and palm sugar, jellies infused with fragrant flowers, and deep-fried pastries filled with sweet mung bean paste.
Diverse and mouth-watering sweet desserts (Source: foodpanda)
Exploring the culinary of Chol Chnam Thmay offers a delightful way to delve deeper into the festival. These dishes not only tantalize the taste buds but also tell a story about Cambodian culture, traditions, and the importance of sharing and community. Are you ready to immerse in this journey? Contact Asia King Travel now to start planning your trip to Chol Chnam Thmay Festival!
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