Eating vegan in Phnom Penh can be challenging at non-vegan restaurants. While many places will try to accommodate you, there are common issues to be aware of. The good news is, many mid-range restaurants will cook more or less from scratch, so there’s quite a lot of leeway as far as making adjustments and substitutions to menu items. Clear communication is important to avoid misunderstandings.

Here are specific points to keep in mind when you order.

1. Eggs Can Be Hidden
When you say “no egg (pong moan / pong tie),” staff might think you only mean a whole fried egg on the side. However, egg is often mixed directly into dishes like fried rice or noodles as scrambled streaks. You should specify that you want no egg at all, whether it’s a whole egg or mixed in.

2. Sauces and Seasonings Often Contain Animal Products
This is the most common issue.

  • Fish Sauce (tuk trey): This is used in many stir-fries, soups, and marinades.

  • Oyster Sauce (preng khyong): A common ingredient in stir-fried dishes.

  • Chicken Powder (msau sup moan): This is a common stock powder added to many dishes for flavor, including vegetable stir-fries and soups.

  • A Note on Soy Sauce (tuk si’u): While a good alternative, some brands of soy sauce may contain beef extract.

3. The Definition of “Meat” May Not Include Seafood
The term “meat” (sach) often does not include fish or other seafood. If you say “no meat,” seafood might still be included. It is better to state clearly that you want no meat (sach), no chicken (sach moan), and no seafood (krueng samut).

4. Tofu Is Not Always Simple
Even tofu (taohu) itself can sometimes be made from egg or fish, despite the word coming from the Chinese douhu 豆腐 meaning bean ferment. It is wise to confirm that the tofu is made from beans only. Likewise, tofu as one of the ingredients or even in the dish name does not mean the dish will be vegan – it may be added alongside animal products.

A Recommended Approach
To improve your chances of getting a suitable meal, you can use a clear and direct request.  Here is a comprehensive description you could use to order:

ខ្ញុំញ៉ាំបួស, ខ្ញុំមិនអាចញ៉ាំអ្វីដែលមានផលិតពាក់ព័ន្ធនិងសត្វដូចជា សាច់ មាន់ ត្រី ទឹកត្រី ប្រេងខ្យង ម្សៅស៊ុបមាន់ ស៊ុត ទឹកដោះគោ ម្សៅទឹកដោះគោ ឬ ទឹកដោះគោខាប់

Which translates as:

I eat vegan/vegetarian food [there is no specific widely used word for vegan in Khmer]. I cannot eat any animal products, including chicken, or fish, fish-sauce, oyster sauce, or chicken powder, or milk, milk powder, or condensed milk.

You could save or screenshot this text to help you communicate with your server, and in case of a reading barrier, you can also paste it into Google translate and tap on the mic icon to have the text read out loud in Khmer (be wary of using Google translate for specific requests as esoteric vocabulary in an uncommon language could lead to confusion). Here is a short-cut!

Being specific about these points will help you navigate the menu more effectively. If that feels daunting, your chances of a vegan meal are guaranteed at a 100% vegan restaurant like ours. And at the numerous vegetarian restaurant around the city, where staff may be more familiar with customers asking for substitutions, you may have a smoother experience. Upmarket restaurants may also be happy to do a custom dish if you get in touch with them ahead of time e.g. via their Facebook page and describe what you would like.

Khmer cuisine uses a plethora of plants rare in the west, both as staples and as aromatic herbs – so make sure you get a chance to try out vegan versions of traditional foods!