A Wonderful Cambodian Cooking Class in Battambang, Cambodia

This past week I signed up to do something I’ve never done before – take a cooking class!

I like to think that I’m a decent cook, but the truth is I’m really just a great eater. I like to eat. A lot.

Breakfast and second breakfast, mid-morning snack followed by an early lunch, then it’s time for a mid-afternoon snack usually followed with an early dinner and then some more snacking…

Great eaters make great cooks, right?

Which brings us to ‘Nary Kitchen’!

‘Nary Kitchen’ is a little restaurant and cooking school run by Nary, a seasoned chef, and her husband, Toot. The schools is located in the heart of Battambang, and together, the sweet couple make a great team that churns out some amazing recipes!

A trip to the food market

The class began with a trip to the local food market.

With umbrellas in hand, we headed out in the rain, kicking up mud on the back of our legs. Toot let the way, intent on teaching us the name and smell of each ingredient so that we’d be able to recognize them at our local supermarkets back at home.

“This is not ginger, don’t call it ginger. It’s galangal!” He led us from one stall to the next, letting us sniff lemongrass, lime leaves, paprika, and other spices.

Every time he made a purchase – eggs, coconut milk, taro root – he would pass the bag off to one of his students, so that by the end we were each carrying at least one bag of ingredients.

Once we had everything we needed for the day, he took us on a more extensive tour of the market.

We were stepping over baskets of fresh produce, plastic containers holding live fish, past butcher stands that had piles of entrails, and lastly through the clothing section where we breathed a sigh of relief. (Word of advice: the butcher shop area is not for the queasy! Just look straight ahead.)

Back at the school we put on our aprons and received our recipe books. Today we would be focusing on three popular dishes:

Fish Amok

After three weeks in Cambodia and lots of sampling the local cuisine, I can say that amok is by far my favourite dish! Amok is a fish curry dish, which is coated in coconut cream and then steamed in a banana leaf bowl. The flavours are everything you could want from a coconut based curry!

This was perhaps the most time consuming dish we made in the class, since we prepared our own curry paste from scratch!

We were given a mortar and pestle and then it was time to crush and grind the garlic, galangal, lemongrass, paprika, chillies, turmeric, and other ingredients into a curry paste.

Ten minutes later, we had the perfect blend of flavours to coat the snake fish.

We also had to create our own banana leaf bowls where we would be steaming our coconut curry fish. Toot placed two banana leaves that had been cut into circles in front of us, and then handed us some toothpicks which he had broken in half. He carefully demonstrated how to create the bowls, and then his wife had to come and fix ours when we failed…

Spring Rolls

Next up we prepared a classic appetizer – spring rolls!

Using the fresh ingredients we had picked up in the market, we chopped up the pork and vegetables, and mixed them into a paste to use as our filling.

We took small amounts, placed them on one end of the rice paper, and carefully rolled them into little packages.

The spring rolls were then dropped in the boiling oil, and we let them cook until they were golden brown.

Easiest recipe of the day!

Beef Lok Lak

The last dish we prepared was something you can find on every menu in Cambodia – lok lak. First, we fried up an egg, sunny side up – this became the base of our dish. Trying not to break the egg yolk which was still a bit runny, we slid our eggs onto our plates, which we then proceeded to decorate with slices of onion and tomato – presentation always matters!

We then took a cut of meat and diced it into little cubes, before throwing it in a sizzling pan along with a lemon pepper sauce we have prepared from scratch. We cooked the meat for a few brief minutes, and that was that!

After two hours in the kitchen, it was finally time to enjoy our food!

I wish I could say that after slaving away in the kitchen we sat there and slowly savoured our meal, but that didn’t happen. I was starving, so was the boy, and we devoured each of our three dishes in less than ten minutes. (I told you I was an expert eater!)

For more tips on things to do around Battambang, you can check out my 1-month Cambodia travel itinerary.

Have you ever taken a cooking class? How did it go?

🍲 Cambodian Cooking Classes: Unlocking Culture, Cuisine & Connection

🌏 Why Take a Cooking Class When You Travel?

Why sign up for a cooking class on your trip?

• Deeper cultural insight:
  Market visits reveal what’s truly in season, what’s prized, and how food traditions are passed down. You’ll see veggies and herbs you’d never spot in a tourist restaurant.
• Skills you can bring home:
  There’s something empowering about pounding your own curry paste or folding banana leaf bowls—much more memorable than just ordering amok in a café!
• Fun, hands-on memories:
  If you’re traveling solo, classes are a great way to meet fellow foodies. If you’re with friends or family, expect plenty of laughs over spilled fillings and lopsided spring rolls.

🛒 What to Expect: A Cambodian Cooking Class, Step-by-Step

Every class is a little different, but here’s how a typical day at Nary Kitchen—or most Cambodian cooking schools—unfolds:

1. Local Market Adventure

Your food journey starts at the source: a bustling wet market. Expect to…

• Sample, sniff, and squeeze local produce (some will be totally new to you!)
• Learn the difference between galangal and ginger, lemongrass and lime leaf
• Watch butchers at work, fish flopping in tubs, and vendors calling out specials
• Pick up your own fresh ingredients for the kitchen

2. Back to the Kitchen

Armed with bulging market bags, it’s time to tie on aprons, wash up, and claim a spot at your cooking station. Most classes supply:

• Aprons and recipe booklets (some even let you take them home)
• All kitchen tools: mortar and pestle, knives, cutting boards, banana leaves, pans
• Guidance from a local chef (and often a sidekick or two!)

3. Cooking, Step by Step

Here’s where the magic happens! You’ll typically make 2–4 dishes, often including:

• Amok (Fish, Chicken, or Veg):
  The pride of Khmer cuisine, a silky coconut curry steamed in a banana leaf bowl. Making your own curry paste is a rite of passage—and yes, your arm will be tired from all that pounding!
• Spring Rolls:
  A favorite starter. Stuff and roll your own (watch your filling—less is more), then fry until perfectly golden.
• Lok Lak:
  Beef, chicken, or tofu stir-fried with peppery sauce and topped with a sunny-side-up egg.
• Bonus Dishes:
  Some schools add banana flower salad, sticky rice dessert, or a market-inspired wildcard dish.

🥢 Foodie Tips for Your Next Cooking Class

Want to make the most of your experience? Here’s what I learned:

• Ask questions: Local chefs love to share tips, stories, and ingredient hacks. Ask about substitutions if you want to recreate dishes back home.
• Take photos, but also notes: Some steps are visual (like folding banana leaves), others are about technique or timing. Write it down—you’ll thank yourself later.
• Don’t worry about perfection: Your banana leaf bowl might look more like a canoe. Your spring roll might burst in the fryer. It’ll still taste amazing.
• Go hungry, but not too hungry: You’ll be snacking along the way, but save room for the main event.
• Bring your recipes home: Many schools let you keep the recipe booklet or email you a digital version—perfect for recreating Cambodian nights in your kitchen!

📊 Quick Comparison: Battambang vs. Siem Reap & Phnom Penh Cooking Classes

Why Battambang?
It’s quieter, less touristy, and you’re more likely to have a personal connection with your chef. Overall, the pace is more relaxed.

🌱 Bringing Cambodian Flavors Home: Simple Substitutions

• Banana leaf: Substitute parchment paper for steaming fish or curries.
• Galangal: Use ginger, but add a little extra lemon zest for that citrusy pop.
• Kampot pepper: Freshly ground black pepper works, but Kampot is worth the splurge if you spot it at a specialty store!
• Coconut cream: Use the thick part from canned coconut milk (shake well before opening).

🧭 More Travel Adventures in Battambang

Not done exploring food in Battambang? Check out:

• Street food tours:
  Sample fried noodles, sticky rice cakes, BBQ meats, and tropical fruits in local markets.
• Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus:
  Enjoy a world-class show and support young Cambodian artists—make it a night out after your class.
• Riverside cafés:
  Wind down with a coffee or Angkor beer overlooking the river at sunset.