Last week, global broadcaster CNN selected its 50 best Asian street foods, with “lort cha” – stir-fried pin noodle wildly popular among ordinary Cambodians – making the cut.
Lort cha, commonly known as silver-needle noodles in other countries in Asia, has gained wide currency among people from all walks of life and can be found almost anywhere. In general, the noodles are short and fried in a pan along with garlic, cabbage and cauliflower – commonly served with beef or pork, fried egg and fish sauce.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said CNN’s selection of lort cha as one of the best Asian street foods would be an opportunity for Cambodians to promote a unique dining experience to visitors.
He said that in general, when tourists visit a new country, they want to taste the most popular cuisine. Sivlin suggested that people working in the hospitality and tourism industries look to promote other tasty Khmer dishes.
Some of the Kingdom’s most well-known foodie sensations include the coconut smoothness of a fish amok, the uniqueness of Cambodian noodles and the peppery sensation of beef lok lak.
In three other ASEAN countries, CNN selected iced coffee, banh mi and pho from Vietnam; nam khao and grilled rice cakes (khao jee) from Laos; and curry noodle soup (khao soi), pork sausages (Isan pork sausages) and crab omelettes from Thailand.