We’re back in Southeast Asia (SEA) this week, visiting Laos – a landlocked, mountainous, largely jungle-covered land, which may seem backward when you look at the map. In fact has the fastest growing economy in the Pacific and SEA. But much of what they eat there is still pure, traditional Laotian…
Grilled Duck: The start of many Laotian culinary adventures!
Laos is the only landlocked country in SEA, bordered by Myanmar (formerly Burma), China, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. But there is plenty of water – uncounted mountain streams and the mighty Mekong River, which runs through the country for hundreds of miles before entering Cambodia.
Laos was entirely a tribal region until the French colonized SEA, and only became recognised as a state in 1949, after the Japanese occupation had been cleaned up and the French decided to get out of the region. A parade of democratic and communist government followed and Laos remained under Soviet influence until the Berlin Wall fell in 1991.
Children of the rice
Wikipedia tells an enchanting tale of the Loations’ relationship with food: “The staple food of the Lao is sticky rice. Laos has the highest sticky rice consumption per-capita in the world with an average of 171 kilograms (377 lb) of sticky rice consumed annually per person. Sticky rice is deeply ingrained in the culture, religious tradition and national identity of Laos. It is a common belief within the Lao community that no matter where they are in the world, sticky rice will always be the glue that holds the Lao communities together, connecting them to their culture and to Laos. Often the Lao will refer to themselves as luk khao niaow, which can be translated as ‘children’ or ‘descendants of sticky rice’.”
But that doesn’t mean they eat nothing else! They also eat lots of noodles, and they eat their starches with a wide variety of fruits, veggies and meats. The jungle provides a rich larder! As in many other SEA countries, pork is the primary meat – almost to the exclusion of all others.
Laos is also home to many food and dining traditions which may be surprising – or intriguing – to some…
On our menu today
Laap (Also known as ‘Larb’): You might describe this dish, in western terms, as a meat salad. Lightly fried or raw fish or pork is prepared immediately after butchering. It’s dressed with Fish Sauce, fresh herbs and lime juice, and mixed with toasted sticky rice. It’s a true Lao staple; many would argue, the national dish.
Paeng Pet: Prepare yourself. Eating fresh pig or duck blood is an everyday thing in Laos. And Paeng Pet is just that; fresh duck blood with heaps of fresh herbs, crispy shallots and peanuts.
Lots of peanuts. It’s redolent of lime and red-hot chilies. The texture – as described by an old Lao hand whose blog I came across – is a cross between creamy and oily. Hmmm…
Roast/Grilled Pork and Duck: The two most popular meats by far of Laos. Restaurants specialize in one or the other. And they’ll offer you an almost infinite selection of dishes based on them.
Tam: Fresh Papaya salad. But other fruits can be used. ‘Tam’, as a verb, means to pound in a pestle, which is how all the ingredients are prepared, together. Fish Sauce (Pa Daek) and Fermented Crab Paste (Nam Pu) are the main flavourings.
Every cook has their own formula of fresh herbs. And al add lots of hot chilis. Most Laotians don’t go a single day without enjoying a bowl of Tam!
Sai Oua: Lao Sausage. Fatty pork coarsely chopped and mixed with sticky rice, shallots, chilis and cilantro, and flavoured with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and garlic. Like no other sausage you’ve ever tried. And an icon of Lao cuisine.
Khao Jee Pa-Tay (Banh Mee): But not your regular, Vietnamese or Korean Banh Mi. This one uses a french-style baguette, spread with Pork Liver Paté and stuffed with Lao Sausage, then topped with thinly sliced fresh veggies.
Real fans have it topped with Jeow Bong (Hot Chili Sauce). The number-one street food of Laos!
Mok: Banana Leaf Wrap. It’s a technique more than a specific dish. You can get Mok stuffed and steamed (or roasted over hot coals) with almost any mixture of ingredients.
But the most popular variations are fish, and pigs brains (Mok Samong), or warm Bamboo Salad (Mok Naw Mai) garnished with fresh herbs and spices.
Soop Pak: Vegetable stew. Various versions are based on either string beans or leafy greens, with lots of fresh herbs and a generous handful of sesame seeds, which give the dish its characteristic flavour.
So basic, yet so complex!
Bet you didn’t suspect that Laotian cuisine was so complex and varied. Bet you didn’t expect to reading about Duck Blood and Pig Brains, either! Please note that you really should do further research on the various pastes and sauces mentioned above. They’re all pillars of the Lao larder…
~ Maggie J.