1. Food
Laos has a wide range of food and some of them are similar to Thai food. However; Lao food tastes and cooks differently. Here are traditional and famous Lao food:
1. Sticky rice (Kao Neow)
- About 90% of Lao people usually eat sticky rice as their daily meals. Traditionally, sticky rice is eaten by hand. However, fork, chopsticks, spoon is also used to catch food. Knives are not commonly used.
2. Kaipen (Fried Mekongweed) with Jaew Bong (Chilli Paste)
- A popular snack, Kaipen is made of freshwater green algae, peppered with sesame seeds and sundried into paper-thin sheets.
3. Sausage (Sai Oua)
- Lao sausage is made from chopped pork/beef meat, seasoned with herbs such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, cilantro, galangal and flavoured with fish sauce.
4. Larp
- A variety of minced meat can be used, then flavoured with mint leaves, chili, fish sauce and lime juice. Ground toasted rice (khao khua) is usually added, while the mixture is quickly stirred in a pot.
5. Phur (Lao Noodle Soup)
- Featuring thin slices of beef, pork, or chicken, tripe, meatballs and sometimes innards (heart, liver, tongue, etc), with your choice of noodle (e.g. flat or thin rice noodle). Add a handful of greens and a pinch of chili, for the original Lao style.
6. Or Lam (Lao Stew Soup with buffalo skin)
- Original to Luang Prabang, this tasty stew comprises mainly vegetables as: beans, eggplant, lemongrass, basil, chilies, woodear mushrooms, cilantro, green onion and locally grown vine called ‘sa kaan’ go into the dish, with optional meat (classically prepared water buffalo meat).
7. Tam Mak Houng (Papaya Salad)
- This Lao food is similar to Thai "Som Tam", but it has fermented fish sauce and shrimp paste as the key ingredients, along with garlic, tomatoes, chili, palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and brined crabs.
8. Kaeng Nor (Bamboo shoot soup)
- It uses fresh bamboo shoots and Yanang leaves which used as soup water, and ingredients are beans, mak buab (or zuchini), squash tendrils, Lao basil and sawtooth herb (or coriander). A piece of fermented fish from the Padek pot is also used as Lao style for your choice of meat.
9. Luang Prabang Salad (Yam Salad)
Laotian egg salad ingredients: hard boiled eggs, fried onions, mayonnaise, cucumber, parsley, tomato, leaf lettuce, green onions, salt and sugar.
Laotian egg salad ingredients: hard boiled eggs, fried onions, mayonnaise, cucumber, parsley, tomato, leaf lettuce, green onions, salt and sugar.
10. Jeow Bong (Lao Chilli Paste with buffalo skin)
Jeow bong is a sweet and spicy Lao chili paste made with Lao chilies, galangal and other ingredients commonly found in Laos and also buffalo skin is also used as special ingredient.
Jeow bong is a sweet and spicy Lao chili paste made with Lao chilies, galangal and other ingredients commonly found in Laos and also buffalo skin is also used as special ingredient.
To learn more about the food and its recipes as well as ingredients, kindly visit the following sites:
1. http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/bamboo-and-yanang-soup-keng-no-mai
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_cuisine#Rice
1. http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/bamboo-and-yanang-soup-keng-no-mai
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_cuisine#Rice