I had never heard of this Buddhist and unique country until my husband was offered an expatriate job here. Lao PDR. Where is that you ask, so did I! Well it’s a small landlocked country neighbouring the popular Thailand, China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Of course I am always ready for a new adventure with the love of my life so here is a little “taste” of this beautiful country we have called home for the last two years. If you haven't already, check out our first post of how we got here. #steeming Lao #food
Dinner under the stars overlooking the mighty Mekong river in Vientiane - the capital
Thai food has influenced #Laos meaning most restaurants will stock yellow, red and green curries made fresh with a choice of seafood, chicken, pork or vegetables. This is complimented by some true Lao dishes including “Larb” and Green papaya/mango salad. Other Asian favourites widely available include fried rice varieties, stir fries and noodle soups.
A local favourite of mine is fresh spring rolls which in my opinion are much tastier than it’s fried counterpart. These rice paper wrapped rolls are filled with glass noodles, crunchy vegetables, scrambled egg and served with sweet chilli dipping sauce.
Larb is a traditional dish most often made from minced duck (phed) meat. Also popular are chicken (kai) and pork (moo) larb. It is flavoured with fresh mint and numerous other herbs, chillies, lime and fish sauce. Most restaurants catering to the western tourist will adapt the recipe and not add the traditional fermented fish sauce. Best to avoid this bucket when visiting a market! Should you find yourself in some remote villages this dish could contain anything from organs to stomach contents, so best to make sure you speak some Lao or that you have a good guide or a strong gut!
The infamous Papaya salad (tam som) is traditionally HOT...freakin' HOT! A shy waitress will quietly ask “spicy?” when you order this. Beware, my adventurous friend. It’s best to reply with “Noy” meaning Little. Should you go the spicy route make sure you order a fresh beer, grab the nearest tissue box (on every table), eat all your cooling cabbage and cucumber and head straight back to the hotel to the comfort of your private en-suite room. Other than the extra burn, this dish is delicious with the perfect combination of spicy, sour and sweet which is complimented by a peanut aftertaste.
Another Lao favourite is “Khao lam”. You might have to search a bit for this one as it’s only really available at some western restaurants and at special festivals. It’s basically a bamboo shoot filled with a mixture of sticky rice (black or white), sugar and coconut. It’s put on an open fire to cook and served after the outside burnt bamboo has been removed. It’s delicious as a snack on the go or as a side order with a meal.
Tom Yum. This is by far my favourite dish. Made mainly with prawn (ghoon) it’s a hot and sour soup flavoured with limes, chillies, lemon grass and galangal. The “do not eat” pieces will be big so that you can easily scoop them out of your soup. This is just the dish to get you addicted to the abundance of Asian flavour. All the contrasts work so well together you can taste them all at the same time. Sweet, Sour, Salt and Spice all in one bite. Just like the gentle Lao people preparing it.
Meet Oui, our housekeeper (mae ban), she's not just a great housekeeper and dog sitter, she's also a phenomenal cook. When you walk into the house smelling roasted garlic, lemongrass and coriander, you know Oui is cooking. She is passionate about Lao food and loves to teach us about dishes she grew up with. Here she is teaching us how to make the perfect tom yum ghoon.
Should you be so lucky as to visit this spicy country in the near future, be sure to try some of our other local favourite dishes, like Mekong fish barbecued in a salty crust, Luang Prabang sausage (below), spicy glass noodle salad and morning glory in strong garlic oyster sauce.
Please tell us what is your favourite S.E. Asian dish!
