Lao cuisine is the cuisine of the Lao ethnic group of Laos and Northeast Thailand (Isan). Lao food is distinct from other Southeast Asian cuisines. The staple food of the Lao is sticky rice. Galangal and fish sauce are important ingredients. The Lao national dish is laap (Lao ລາບ; sometimes also spelled larb), a spicy mixture of marinated meat and/or fish that is sometimes raw (prepared like ceviche) with a variable combination of greens, herbs, and spices. Another characteristic dish is tam mak houng (Lao ຕໍາໝາກຫຸ່ງ; related to som tam in Thai and bok l'hong in Khmer), a spicy green papaya salad.
Lao cuisine has many regional variations, according in part to the fresh foods local to each region. A French influence is also apparent in the capital city, Vientiane, such that baguettes are sold on the street, and French restaurants (often with a naturally Lao, Asian-fusion touch) are common and popular. Vietnamese cuisine is also popular in Laos.
Ingredients
1 wild chicken, plucked, washed and gutted; take the meat from the breasts and legs and chop it finely; take the skin, the liver and the gizzard, wash them, tie them together with thread and cook them by boiling them in broth, then slice them thinly
5 round eggplants, cooked by putting them in the charcoal fire until their skins are burned
3 (small) heads garlic, seared over a charcoal fire
2 (small) shallots, seared over a charcoal fire
3 dried chilli peppers, grilled until brittle
2 slices of galingale
The above five ingredients to be pounded together - we call the result kheuang lap, meaning ingredients for the lap
1 rice-bowl (1/4 pint) of or padek
1 medium-sized bowl of broth to which fish sauce has not been added an appropriate quantity of ground khao khoua (uncooked sticky rice, toasted in a hot dry pan, then pounded very thoroughly) a young banana flower, sliced
3 (small) heads of garlic, chopped and fried until golden-brown and giving off a good aroma
3 Kaffir lime leaves, chopped spring onion leaves, chopped coriander leaves, salt
Method
Mix the minced chicken with the kheuang lap. Add salt and the or padek, and mix some more. When the mixture has a sufficiently strong taste of padek, add the broth and stir. Then add the khao khoua and the sliced banana flower. Add also the sliced chicken skin (etcetera) and the fried garlic. Taste and check the saltiness.
Arrange the ingredients on a platter. Garnish with chopped spring onion leaves, chopped coriander leaves and the Kaffir lime leaves, also chopped. Serve with Keng Som (any kind of sour soup) and a variety of fresh (raw) vegetables.
Italiano
Español