A simple recipe for herbaceous and slightly spicy Lao pork sausages (ໄສ້ອົ່ວ). It uses simple, fresh ingredients that I was able to find in my garden (or your local Asian market). There’s s…
While Laotion food is generally overlooked compared to its neighboring culinary giants, Thailand and Vietnam, a lot of common thai dishes actually originate from Laos. Dishes like sticky rice, laab, and papaya salad, are all identified as Thai dishes but have actually originated in Laos. As parts of Northern Thailand
(Photo by Mina) If you had to pick one dish to represent Laos, then you probably would think laab. Sometimes spelled larb, this dish is composed of what can be Continue Reading →
Learn how to make this comforting Lao chicken noodle soup called khao piak khao. It is a flavorful, aromatic porridge that is absolutely wonderful!
Kua mee is a sweet and savory Laotian stir-fried noodle dish, highlighted by caramelized sugar and tender egg strips.
Crushing the freshly toasted peanuts in the koke Yam salat has to be one of the few true vegetarian dishes in Laos, that is if you don’t throw in any pork, and you can overlook those undeveloped chicken embryos. It’s now the end of the summer and all of the garden seems to be reaching it’s prime at the same time. Almost all of the vegetables for this salad were home grown. The tomatoes are ripening so fast we are having to freeze many of them for the cold winter months and the seeds from the celery that Creagy poured into the garden while no one was looking has given us a mini celery forest. The lettuce is the second crop that my wife started back in mid August to take advantage of the cool fall days. The cilantro just keeps coming up, as long as we remember to let some go to seed and to turn it over into the soil. Cucumbers have been appearing regularly since the beginning of August. The green onions we dig up and replant when they get too bitter, somehow the first shoots from onions are sweetest. Above is some of the celery. This variety is from Laos, it never forms the stalks we are familiar with in the United States. It’s only grown for the leaves which are eaten as a leafy vegetable, great in soups. Behind the celery is the leaf lettuce in clumps. This batch started off slow in the heat of the summer. The lettuce from the spring was a lot larger. In this sauce I think there were four eggs used. They are hardboiled, the yolks are set aside for the dressing and the whites are sliced into the salad. Besides this big spoonful of squeezed lime juice there’s also a quarter cup of water, some bang nua, and a little salt. On top of everything else is some toasted crushed peanuts. The peanuts come uncooked and unsalted, I guess from the Vietnamese grocery where we buy everything else. I don’t know why but peanuts quickly lose their fresh toasted taste. Best to cook them just before making the salad. Not mentioned is mon pao, a crunchy white tuber that is often sliced thin and added for it’s texture as well as it’s sweet apple like taste. (sorry don't know English name) We didn’t have any. People also use any sort of salad green they have, water cress is popular. I’ve never seen nam pa, hot peppers, or garlic of any kind. Sometimes bits of pork. Moo sam san lightly fried is great. Of course just after I posted this a friend told me he has had yam salat with nam pa, I asked my Lao consultant and she said yes some people mix it into the sauce. (notice the celery greens?) The peanuts are sprinkled over the salad, the sauce is poured on, everything is tossed to get good coverage, and voila, yam salat. Also…. A lot of times I eat the salad hours after it’s made, or even the next day. The greens wilt and give up their juices quickly so that the whole salad is swimming in the much thinner sauce. I love it. I even drink down the sauce from the bowl as long as no one is looking. This drunken salad affect is how I’ve most often bought yam salat in Laos served up out of trays at the buffet at the airport, or in bags at the Luang Prabang night food market. A lot of these photos I’ve taken at the high ISO setting. I get sick of trying to hand hold at 1/5th of a second. Sometimes 800 sometimes a thousand or 1600. For you purists,, sorry. Sun Saap
Malaysia-based professional food writer and photographer explore street food, ingredients, and culinary traditions in Asia and beyond.
Som Moo is also known as Fermented or Soured Pork. Som Moo can be found in many Asiatic stores, sometimes in small packets, sometimes in large blocks. It makes a great snack or can be used in other…
You could make these patties with beef mince instead of buffalo meat, if you like. Here, Luke serves with sticky rice and a dipping sauce, but you could also use them to make a sandwich or burger.
I was surprised to receive a couple of emails regarding the Num Jim Jaew from Siam Nara, asking me for a recipe. The funny thing is; I've made this a couple times, and actually took photos when I made this...
Chef Seng shares a few Laotian Dipping sauces names with us today. Take notes everyone! Dipping sauce: Jeow Roasted tomato dipping sauce: Jeow Marg Len Sweet roasted chili sauce: Jeow Bong Green Ro…
My Banana Pancake Recipe is a replcation of the crispy sweet banana pancakes found on the travellers Banana Pancake Trail throughout Asia. This banana panca ...
Airing Fridays, watch Australian chef and Thai food expert, David Thompson delve into the vibrant world of Thailand’s streets and markets. From dawn to dusk, all over Thailand, David discovers the culinary delights that keeps the Thai people pulsing.
Every countries have their own version of fried bananas. I just learned this recipe from Chi. Bun yesterday and decided to make them today. As a child, I remembered this type of snacks are sold by street vendors in Vietnam. Chuoi Chien is also one of my favorite snacks. Ta ta.....................Here you go. The batter is consisted of : rice flour, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, and dried shredded coconuts. After an hour in the refrigerator, then it's time to fry them. I just love the golden color. They are so good and crunchy. You just can't eat just one. There goes my diet plan :-( Ingredients: ½ cup of rice flour ¼ cup of sugar 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1 pinch salt ¼ cup of shredded coconut (You can add more if you like) 4 medium bananas (the firmer they are, the better) 1 and ¼ cup of water canola oil (for frying) Directions: 1. Mix together the flour, sugar, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, salt and water to make a smooth, paste-like batter. 2. Leave in the refrigerator to rest for one hour. 3. Peel the bananas and slice in 2 or 3 inch slices. 4. Dip the banana pieces into the batter and shallow fry in hot oil for a few minutes or until golden brown all over. 5. Drain quickly on a wire rack or paper towel, and serve warm. Enjoy!
