Before dawn at Battambang’s Boeung Chhouk Market, drivers are already parked along the roadside to buy up galangal and small chili peppers. According to local media, these spices aren’t just sold at random—they go straight to workshops that make fermented fish rolls and local-style fish cakes. Galangal is essential for making fish rolls, cutting the fishy smell and boosting the flavor, always served alongside fresh small chili peppers.
Because so many people make fish rolls these days, galangal is fetching a good price, hitting 2,000 to 3,000 Riels per kilo. Roadside stalls and National Road No. 5 are packed with people selling these sour fish rolls. By evening, plenty of folks buy them as a snack with drinks, wrap them with lettuce and rice noodles for dinner, or pack them up to take to relatives in Phnom Penh.
Still, with so many people eating them, everyone is keeping a close eye on quality. Locals have warned fish roll makers—especially producers in Ek Phnom district—not to cut corners by adding borax. Even though the relevant authorities have inspected places and shut some down in the past, people are hoping for continued vigilance. After all, when it comes to what goes into our mouths, health comes first.
