Soum Khao Blog
Lao Cuisine
Lao Cuisine
Do you ever hear of Tam Mak Hoong? Nam Wan? Ping Gai? Padeak? or any other food in Laos? There are many food and desserts in Laos, it very delicious, and you should never miss them.
Main Ingredients for Lao Cuisine
The Mekong rivers that flow from North to South, the mountain and forest surrounding Laos, and the green nature are in every direction. This is Laos. The richness in vegetation, herbs and fresh ingredients are delivered directly from nature are all in Laos cuisine. From the root of the plants, the tree trunk to the top of the leaves is in preparation. The essential basic ingredients in Laos cuisine are lemongrass, galangal, kaffir limes leaves, onion, chili, ginger, garlic, and Asian shallots. Also, Lao food is packed with vegetables as side dishes such as peppermint leaves, lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, round green eggplant, long beans, bitter melon, and more.
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Apart from the fresh veggie, the diverse meat and animal products are also in preparation. The main meat consumed is fish, native chicken, pork, duck, and buffalo skin. Some other animal ingredients are frogs and insects. When you walk in the fresh market during the morning, there are lots of ingredients you can find and crowded with people.
The heart of Lao Lao cuisine and never to be forgotten is Padaek, fermented fish sauce. All Lao food has to include Padeck and every household has this item. Padeck is a mixture of fish and salt, rice bran, or rice husks that are marinated and preserved in a jar for a minimum of a year. It has a unique and distinctive scent in Lao traditional food. It gives Lao food a life.
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Padaek (Fermented fish sauce)
Variety of Flavor and Dishes
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The flavor of Lao food has more than one flavor including spicy, salty, bitter, and sour. The food has a strong fragrance from the ingredients and aroma from the smoked charcoal that grills the food. There is no boredom eating Lao food and experiencing new tastes.
The famous dishes in Laos are sticky rice, laap, ping kai, Khao lam (rice in bamboo), Tam Mak hoong, mok paa (steam fish wrapped in banana leaves), and sai oua (Lao sausage).
Every region in Laos has its own unique dishes and specialties. Luang Prabang food is famous for its Jeow Bong (a spicy chili paste with buffalo skin), Koy paa (sour and spicy minced fish salad), Kaeng paa (fish soup), aw lam (beef stew), Padaek (fermented fish sauce) and kaipen( a fried freshwater green algae). And a lot more.
Southern specialties are buffalo skin and tamarind jam. Champasak province has many fish dishes including laap paa (fish salad), koi paa (fish salad), Ping paa (grilled fish), Padaek (fermented fish sauce), and more.
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Dessert
Desserts in Laos are called Krng Wan. Desserts in Laos have 2 categories such as Khao nom and Nam wan. Khao nom means a treat. It is dry and doesn't contain a liquid such as Khao nioaw daeng (red sweet rice), Thong mua (wafer roll), Khao nom dok bua (lotus flower cookie), khao tom (steam rice), Khao khop and Jee Kuay (grilled banana). While Nam Wan means sweet and variety of fruit in the coconut milk. For example, Nam wan kuay (banana in coconut milk), nam van khao lod chong (pandan tapioca in coconut milk), and Nam wan mak ue (pumpkin in coconut milk). Lao people like to eat sweets after meals, especially Nam wan and fresh fruits. Many people, including me, believe that eating a savory meal and washing our mouth with sweet dessert is the best.
The main ingredients in Lao dessert are sticky rice, coconut milk, cane sugar, and fruit. The desserts are usually wrapped in a banana leaf and use banana leaves as a plate which is a remarkable thing and special. It also raises the aesthetic view of the dessert too.
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Khao Lam (sticky rice in bamboo)
pon paa (fish dipping sauce)
Jee nung (roasted buffalo skin)
Mok kee paa (steam fish wrapped in banana leaves)
Sai oua (Lao sausage)
Mok paa
Khao mao (green rice with shredded coconut )
Khao nom munton (Steamed cassava cake )
Khao nom sun (Steam Layer cake)
Khao nom kok (Lao coconut cake)
Khao nom dok bua (Lotus flower cookie)
Nam wan (Banana in coconut milk)
Thong mua (Lao wafer roll)
Khao nom munton (Steamed cassava cake )
Khao nom kok (Lao coconut cake)
Culinary
The traditional utensils in Lao cuisine tend to be craft equipment from bamboo and wood. The utensils consist of a pestle, bamboo basket for steaming the rice, sticky rice basket, wooden tray, and spatula. Not only the craft equipment, a stainless steel pot, and a wok are also part of Lao cuisine. Most Lao foods are wrapped inside the banana leaves.
Another main utensil is a charcoal stove or charcoal grill, in Lao is called Tao Tan, which is still used nowadays and is popular. The traditional Lao stove is made from clay with a charcoal brazier. Thus, Lao dishes tend to be grilled, stewed, or steamed.