We used to recommend European food, Korean food, or desserts like cake, and donuts, now introducing our Khmer Traditional Desserts that represent our culture. If you're feeling stressed and craving sweet desserts or are in need of some comfort food, why not try Cambodia's traditional desserts? Here are 5 Khmer desserts that we believe some of you may have tried before but some did not try it yet. 

1. Num Plae Ai

Num Plae Ai is a small dumpling made from glutinous rice flour with a juicy palm sugar filling in the center. The cooked dumplings are then generously coated with freshly grated coconut scrapings and wrapped in banana leaves. These sweet dumplings can be served as a dessert or as a snack in any ceremony. You can find them in every roadside vendor or the local market near your house.

2. Num Ansom

Num Ansom is a sticky rice cake that is very important in Cambodian culture and tradition. It is made from glutinous rice filled with mung beans, bananas, jackfruits, and pork. It needs to be wrapped with banana leaves and cooking twine to steam. On every occasion like Khmer New Year, almost all families spend time making this sticky rice cake for offering to monks at temples or enjoying with family. However, those who do not cook would buy them from the market. It can also be fried or grilled depending on the occasion. You can find them in every local market, but during the Khmer ceremonies, you can easily find them everywhere.

3. Num Kom

Num Kom is a traditional sweet treat made especially during Khmer New Year or wedding celebrations. It is a Cambodian sweet rice cake made from glutinous rice flour with a steamed sweet dumpling filled with freshly grated coconut, toasted sesame seeds, and palm sugar. Traditional rice cakes in Cambodia are wrapped in banana leaves and come in different shapes, sizes, and textures to denote their differences. Num Kom is made in pyramidal shapes. Another type of sweet rice cake made from glutinous rice flour dumplings filled with salty mung bean paste is called Num Bot. It may be hard to find both Num Kom and Num Bot in the market.

4. Num Korng

Num Korng, which we normally call Khmer donut, is made from sticky rice padding rice flour with no filling and then deep-fried in cooking oil. It is then topped with thick-cooked sugar and sprinkled with white sesame. It tastes crispy outside but very chewy inside, and the sugar syrup on top makes it even more crispy. You can find it anywhere near your house or the local market, and it costs only 500 riels or 0.125$ per donut.  

5. Num Akor

Num Akor is a Cambodian traditional dessert that has been around for decades. It is a sweetened rice batter that is steamed in small cups to shape its round appearance and then topped with thick coconut milk or freshly grated coconut scrapings to add fragrance and extra flavor. It can be made into another flavor called Num Akor Tnaot. It is a favorite dessert of every Cambodian and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It costs only 3000 riels to 4000 riels or 0.75$ to 1$ in a box that has six pieces. If you haven't tried it yet, go and grab Num Akor near your house before it gets sold out.

Our Khmer cakes are not inferior to European cakes, they are both delicious and reasonably priced. When life gets tough, remember that there's always room for desserts​ to cure your sadness. Because stressed is the back word of desserts.