Unforgettable Taste! Grilled Cambodian Street Corn

Hey there foodies! Are you ready for delicious outdoor grilling this summer?

If so, we have a treat for you – a 5-ingredient, mouthwatering Cambodian street corn recipe that will elevate your backyard barbecue game to the next level!

Corn on the cob is a classic summer staple, but with a Cambodian twist, it becomes a flavor explosion that your taste buds won’t soon forget.

Cambodian Grilled Street Corn (poat ang) is a delicious grilled whole corn slathered in coconut sauce. This recipe combines the smoky char of grilled sweet corn with the creamy richness of coconut, creating a perfect balance of flavors.

We recently went beach camping in Point Mugu State Park (near Malibu, CA), and while we were there, we cooked up a batch of this incredible Cambodian street corn.

Grilling outside with beautiful ocean views was the perfect setting to enjoy this flavorful dish. It was a meal to remember!

We captured the recipe here on camera (a nice change of scenery from our usual studio kitchen, don’t you think?) and couldn’t wait to share it with you all.

In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of making Cambodian Grilled Street Corn step by step, so you can recreate this mouthwatering dish at home or wherever you decide to fire up your grill.

Keep reading to discover the secrets behind this tantalizing Cambodian street corn recipe!

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Cambodian Cuisine

Cambodian cuisine is known for its vibrant flavors, unique combinations of spices, and use of fresh ingredients.

It’s important to know that “Cambodian cuisine” is more of a general term for the diverse ethnic groups in Cambodia, each with their own culinary traditions and specialties (one example is Khmer cuisine.)

In terms of flavors, Cambodian cuisine can be described as a mix of flavors between local cuisines and neighboring countries like Thailand, India, China, and Vietnam. There are many dishes based on rice, fish, spices, and coconut.

In the US, the largest Cambodian population resides in Long Beach, CA. That’s not too far from us in LA, and we’ve had foodie adventures exploring the local Cambodian restaurants in search of learning more about authentic Cambodian flavors. If you were curious to try Cambodian cuisine, we suggest you go visit Long Beach!

Exploring the Popularity of Cambodian Street Corn

Cambodian Street Corn is not only popular in Asia, but it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world as well. You can find videos of people enjoying this delicious street food on social media platforms like Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok.

We noticed that there is even a Cambodian Street Corn stand in Smorgasburg LA, one the biggest and best foodie markets in town.

We believe that the popularity of Cambodian Street Corn can be attributed to its unique flavors and the experience it provides.

It’s no secret that grilled corn with butter is life-changing (ask Corn Kid lol) but grilled corn with coconut has a whole new level of sweet and creaminess that takes it to another dimension.

We hope that Cambodian Street Corn and Cambodian cuisine continue to gain recognition and appreciation in the culinary world, as it truly is a cuisine worth exploring and experiencing!

Side note: While researching this dish we found that the name of Cambodian Street Corn was “poat ang” or “poat dot.” Are the names used interchangeably or are there differences in the dish? If you have any knowledge to offer, please leave a comment! We love to learn as much as possible about the dishes we make.

Serving Suggestions and Pairings for Cambodian Street Corn

Now that you know a bit about the background and popularity of Cambodian Street Corn, let’s talk about how to serve and enjoy this delicious dish.

It is best to eat Cambodian Street Corn fresh off the grill while it’s still warm and crispy. You can eat it straight off the cob or shave the kernels into a bowl for easier eating. To enhance the flavors, you can serve it with a side of coconut sauce or fish sauce.

This dish is great as an appetizer before a main meal or as a snack on its own.

Try it with a refreshing lager beer or a tropical fruit juice (like our Melon sa Malamig) to complement the flavors of the corn and coconut.

As for what dishes to pair with Cambodian Street Corn, there are several options to consider. Firstly, you can pair it with other popular Cambodian street foods such as grilled skewers of meat, chicken, or seafood. Some suggestions are grilled squid, num pang (Cambodian sandwich), Khmer noodles, or lok lak (Cambodian beef stir fry.)

The combination of these dishes will create a flavorful and satisfying meal that showcases the diverse flavors of Cambodian cuisine.

If you crave a meal with a variety of Southeast Asian dishes, you can pair Cambodian Street Corn with other dishes from Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, Malaysian, or Filipino (our top choice since we’re Filipino) cuisine. Think spring rolls, satay, curries, noodles, and stir fries!

The combination of these dishes will create a delightful fusion of flavors that will take your taste buds on a culinary adventure through Southeast Asia.

Here are a few more dishes from our recipe archive to consider pairing with Cambodian Street Corn: chicken inasal, pancit bihon, lumpia, and cauliflower pineapple fried rice. Give them a try and let us know how you like them!

Equipment You Will Need

To make Cambodian Street Corn, you will need a few key pieces of equipment.

Grill – Whether you’re using a charcoal grill, gas grill, or even an indoor grill pan, having a way to cook the corn over high heat is essential to getting that beautiful char and smoky flavor. Since we were camping at the time, we simply used the fire ring at our campsite with a grill grate placed over it.

Large bowl or plastic bags – You’ll need this to soak the corn in water before grilling. This helps to keep the corn moist and prevents it from burning too quickly on the grill. At home we would have used a large mixing bowl, but since we were camping, we used plastic bags to soak the corn.

Note 1. If you’re using plastic bags to soak the corn, make sure to flip them over occasionally to ensure that all sides of the corn are evenly soaked.

Tongs – These will come in handy for flipping the corn as it grills and removing it from the heat when done.

Basting brush – A basting brush is great for spreading the coconut sauce onto the corn while it grills, ensuring that each bite is packed with flavor.

Saucepan – You will need a small saucepan to warm up the coconut sauce before brushing it onto the corn.

Now that we have all the necessary equipment ready, it’s time to dive into the recipe for Cambodian Street Corn.

Ingredients

• 12 ears of sweet corn with husk
• ¾ cup green onion chopped
• 13.5 oz coconut cream
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• fish sauce to taste

Note 2. We only cooked 6 ears of corn for this recipe, and had about half the sauce left over. Therefore we decided to mark this recipe for 12 ears of corn, but you can adjust the quantities accordingly.

How to Pick the Best Corn at the Grocery Store

When it comes to making Cambodian street corn, choosing the best corn at the grocery store is crucial. The key indicators to look for are the husk, tassel, and kernels.

You want to look for ears of corn that look bright green and are free from any brown spots, dry tips, mushy spots, or mold.

The husk should completely enclose the kernels, protecting them from any damage or exposure. The tassels should be light or gold colored. And the kernels should be firm with no spots of softness or empty voids. These signs indicate that they are super fresh and haven’t been left out for too long.

It is very important to choose the freshest corn possible for this recipe to ensure that it cooks evenly and retains its sweetness and flavor.

Recipe

Prep the corn

1. Open the husk to about 1-2 inches from the base. Remove the silk and reclose the husks.
2. Soak the corn in water for about 30 minutes.

Make the coconut sauce

1. In a saucepan, mix together coconut cream, green onion, salt, and sugar. Add fish sauce to taste (optional.)
2. Heat the coconut mixture for a few minutes to allow the ingredients to meld. The consistency will become more spreadable for basting.

Grill Cambodian Street Corn

1. Grill the corn (husks closed) for about 20 minutes or until the outer husks are blackened. Keep flipping the corn for even cooking.

2. Open the husks so the corn is exposed. Grill for about 15 more minutes, while regularly basting with coconut sauce and flipping. Once the corn is nicely charred everywhere, it is done.

Note 3. Grill temperatures can vary, so adjust cooking times accordingly. The cook times mentioned in this recipe were tested on a charcoal grill with medium-high heat and may need to be adjusted based on your specific grill setup.

Final Thoughts

Do a few little steps and get rewarded with big flavors with this Cambodian street corn recipe. The coconut sauce brings out a unique and irresistible taste when combined with naturally delicious sweet corn.

Try it out at your next barbecue or summer gathering and impress your friends and family with a taste of Cambodia!

Explore more of our snack and appetizer recipes!

We hope you enjoy this easy recipe! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-pick-corn/

https://www.asiahighlights.com/cambodia/street-food

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodian_cuisine

https://www.bestpricetravel.com/travel-guide/cambodian-street-food-3310.html