Fish Head Soup (សម្លក្បាលត្រី) — Cambodian Food Encyclopedia
Hearty stew made with large fish heads, vegetables, and aromatic herbs.
What is Fish Head Soup?
Hearty stew made with large fish heads, vegetables, and aromatic herbs.
- Price range: $2–6
- Spice level: No spice
- Best cities to try it: Battambang, Kampong Cham, Phnom Penh, Kratie
- The cheek meat is the best part — tender and flavorful. Don't miss the rich broth with rice.
Fish Head Soup
$2–6សម្លក្បាលត្រី
🦐 Seafoodlunchdinner🌶️ No spice
A rustic, nourishing soup that uses the flavorful head of large freshwater fish. The head is simmered with vegetables, tamarind, lemongrass, and herbs until the broth is deeply savory and the cheek meat is fall-apart tender. Considered a prized cut in Cambodian cuisine, the fish head provides rich, gelatinous texture and concentrated flavor.
Key Ingredients
- fish head
- tamarind
- lemongrass
- vegetables
- tomato
- fish sauce
- herbs
Where to Find
- local restaurants
- riverside restaurants
- countryside eateries
Best Cities
Dietary Information
✓ gluten-free✓ dairy-free✓ pescatarian
Insider Tip
The cheek meat is the best part — tender and flavorful. Don't miss the rich broth with rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fish Head Soup is typically made with fish head, tamarind, lemongrass, vegetables, tomato, fish sauce and herbs.
Fish Head Soup has a spice level of "No spice".
The listed price range for Fish Head Soup is $2–6.
More Seafood Dishes
- Smoked Fish (ត្រីចម្អិន)
- Salt & Pepper Squid (មឹកបំពង)
- Kampot Pepper Crab (ក្ដាមឆា)
- Sweet & Sour Fish (ត្រីចៀនញូង)
- Grilled Prawns (បង្កង់ដុត)
- Prahok Ktis (ប្រហុកខ្ទីស)
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