Cambodian Cuisine: A Fusion of Ethnicity, Trade, Wars and Colonization

First of all, let's clarify two terms what often cause confusion. Why do some people say "Cambodian cuisine" while others say "Khmer cuisine"? Are they different?
No, "Cambodian cuisine" and "Khmer cuisine" are the same thing. Before Cambodia became the Kingdom of Kampuchea (the official name in English is Kingdom of Cambodia), it was preceded by the mighty Khmer Empire which gave the country and the world Angkor Wat.

While English speakers call the nation Cambodia, the locals refer to it as Kampuchea. The word "Khmer" refers to the ethnic people and culture. In modern usage, however, Khmer is often used to describe in general the people, their native language, culture and cuisine.

For the sake of convenience and uniformity, let's stick with the terms "Cambodian cuisine", "Cambodian food" and "Cambodian cooking".