Laotian Cuisine

Tiffany Grace Tiapon

BSHM2
Origin of Laotian Cuisine
The Lao originally came from a northern region that is
now part of China. As they moved south they brought
their traditions with them. Due to historical Lao
migrations from Laos into neighboring regions, Lao
cuisine has influenced the mainly Lao-populated region
of Northeastern Thailand,and Lao foods were also
introduced to Cambodia and Northern Thailand where
the Lao have migrated.
 There are many influences in the Laotian cuisine,
coming from the neighbor countries, such as China
(spiced meats, various ricerecipes, stewed veggies and
all sorts of desserts), Vietnamese (especially in the city
restaurants that include Vietnamese menus). There are
also European influences, mostly French, with various
kinds of breads and cheese, which can be found in all
the important cities and in the small villages.
Food Culture in Laos
Meats are often chicken, fish, duck and pork, of which the
popular method of eating them are dried and fermented.

Most Lao food is prepared by chopping and bashing, and

traditionally this is done by the women. But do make sure you
don’t leave the pestle in the mortar. It is believed that if you do
this, the women in the household will become infertile.

In Laos, if you have a whole cooked fish, be careful not to turn it

over on your plate. Eat the flesh from the top, then peel off the
bones and eat the rest. Otherwise, it is believed that the turning
over of the fish will cause a fishing boat to capsize.
Staple Food
Khao niaw (sticky rice) is a
staple food among the
Laotians. Traditionally
steamed in a cone-shaped
bamboo basket, the rice is
then placed in a covered
basket, where it is eaten by
hand alongside spicy soup,
and meat-based dishes.
Traditions The traditional Laos stove
is a clay pot with a
charcoal brazier, known
as the Tao Dam, which is
still used today. Gas
ovens and stoves were
never part of local cuisine.
Therefore, typical dishes
are grilled, stewed or
steamed.
 Utensils that can’t be missed in Laotian
cuisine are:

Pestle & Mortar

Banana Leaves Bamboo Basket
Dishes with Ingredients
and Procedures
Larb/ Laap
Larb or laap is widely considered
as Laos’ national dish – this meat-
based salad is flavoured with
mint leaves, chilli, fish sauce, and
lime juice, giving it a zesty
flavour. Most restaurants use
pork or chicken to make larb, but
you can also enjoy it with minced
beef, duck, or fish.
Like most Laotian dishes, locals
enjoy this salad with sticky rice
and various side dishes.
Ingredients:
1 kg ground chicken or ground pork
5 shallots thinly sliced
5 tablespoons sticky rice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Juice of 4 limes
Dried red chili flake
1 bunch cilantro , coarsely chopped
3 scallions , finely sliced
20 fresh mint leaves
 Procedures:
1. In a dry skillet, toast the rice over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir regularly so the rice turns light brown and not brown. Let stand for a
few minutes, and blend in a food processor to obtain a toasted rice powder.
2. In a separate large skillet, sauté the chicken over medium heat or until
cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if
necessary so the chicken does not stick or burn.
3. Off the heat, add the shallots, scallions, fish sauce and lime juice. Toss
everything together.
4. Add the toasted rice powder and toss again.
5. Add the red chili flakes, then mix in the mint and cilantro leaves.
6. Serve with warm sticky rice, or raw vegetables, including lettuce, cabbage or
cucumbers.
 Laotian grilled chicken or

Ping Gai called ping gai is a delicious

dish to represent the flavors
of Lao. Its inspired recipe is to
whip up the marinade
including soy, fish and oyster
sauce with freshly ground
black pepper, sesame oil and
a pinch of cayenne on the
chicken. The longer time you
make, the better flavors of
chicken can be developed.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons oyster sauce (gluten free if necessary)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamari or gluten free soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon (3 cloves) garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane
grater
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper (you can use a mortar &
pestle or spice grinder to coarsely grind whole black peppercorns)
½ cup (35gms) finely chopped cilantro
3 lbs. (1.35kg) split chicken wings (wing tips discarded), 30-36 pieces
(or use the same weight of chicken thighs with skin and bone)
Procedures:
1. In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the chicken.
2. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat them well with the marinade. Cover the bowl
with plastic cling wrap, or transfer the chicken to a large zip top plastic bag or
covered container. (If using a plastic bag, you can dump all the marinade ingredients
right into the bag, then add the chicken, seal, and smoosh it around to coat
everything.) Marinate the chicken wings for at least 2 hours or as long as 24 hours,
tossing them in the marinade once during that time.
3. Grill or bake the chicken until browned and tender.
To Grill: Grill the chicken on a covered barbecue grill set at medium heat. Oil the
grill lightly, and flip the chicken once halfway through. Cook until the wings are
caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside, about 25 – 30 minutes.
To Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper or aluminum foil (important if you don’t want to clean a very sticky pan), lay
the chicken pieces on in a single layer (discard the excess marinade), and bake for
30 minutes. Then flip them over, and bake for another 20 minutes, or until they
are browned and crispy in spots.
Khao Piak Sen – Lao Chicken Noodle Soup
This is a rich chicken broth with
noodles and an array of toppings
on it, such as fried garlic, shallots,
lemongrass, lime leaves, chili,
cilantro. This soup can also be
served with beef or pork and a
handful of the greens and various
vegetables instead. In local style,
this bowl can even go with a few
innards such as heart, liver and
tongue.
Ingredients:
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
24 cloves garlic (120g), sliced thinly crosswise, preferably with a mandoline
3 medium shallots (150g), sliced
1 medium yellow onion (10 ounces; 280g), peeled and quartered through the root end
3 large knobs ginger (3 ounces; 90g), peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds
3 tablespoons (45ml) garlic and shallot oil, from above
1 stalk lemongrass (2 3/4 ounces; 80g), outer layer discarded then roughly chopped
6 medium cloves garlic (1 ounce; 30g), peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
5 makrut lime leaves
Stems from 1 bunch cilantro (2 ounces; 60g), chopped (see note)
One 3- to 4-pound (1.3 to 1.8kg) whole chicken, blotted dry (see note)
2 tablespoons kosher salt (3/4 ounce; 25g), plus more as needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce (1 ounce; 30g)
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (1 ounce; 30g)
1 teaspoon sugar
7 ounces (200g) plus 3/4 ounce (20g) white rice flour, divided (see note)
7 ounces (200g) plus 3/4 ounces (20g) tapioca flour, divided
1 3/4 cups (415ml) boiling water
2 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias
2 fresh bird’s eye chilis, stemmed and minced
5 sprigs morning glory, pulled through a morning glory shredder (optional; see note)
Lime wedges
Fried garlic, from above
Fried shallots, from above
Picked cilantro leaves and tender stems
Procedures:
1. Line a plate with paper towels and set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. In a medium frying pan,
heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and fry, swirling and stirring frequently, until golden brown all
over, approximately 4 minutes. Pour garlic and oil into prepared strainer and allow to drain. Transfer garlic to the
prepared paper towels, spreading it out in an even layer, and allow to drain further.
2. Return oil to pan, then set fine-mesh strainer over the same heatproof bowl. Line a second plate with clean paper
towels.
3. Add shallots to pan and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until shallots begin to bubble, about 1 minute. Continue
cooking, stirring constantly as the shallots fry to ensure even cooking, until shallots turn pale golden brown, about 3
minutes longer. Working quickly, pour contents of saucepan into strainer set over bowl. (Shallots will continue cooking
for a brief period after draining, so do not allow them to get too dark.) Reserve garlic-shallot oil.
4. If desired, grill or sear (in a cast iron pan without oil) two of the onion quarters and two-thirds of the sliced ginger until
well charred, about 2 minutes per cut side (this will add depth and complexity to the broth, but is optional).
5. Roughly chop all of the onion and ginger, whether charred or not.
6. In a large 8-quart Dutch oven or soup pot, heat garlic-shallot oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add chopped onion
and ginger, lemongrass, sliced garlic, lime leaves, and cilantro stems. Season lightly with salt, then cook, stirring, until
onions are softened, about 7 minutes.
7. Add chicken to pot and top with at least 5 quarts (5L) cold water, or enough to cover. Add the 2 tablespoons kosher salt
along with the soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook,
covered, for 2 hours, lifting lid occasionally to skim the surface of broth of any foam or scum that accumulates.
8.Carefully remove chicken from the pot and transfer to a work surface (it may fall apart after this long cooking; simply fish
out all the parts and bones). When cool enough to handle, pull meat from bones and shred with your hands or a fork.
Discard bones and skin. Reserve chicken meat.
9. Meanwhile, bring broth to a rolling boil and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain broth, discarding solids, then return to
cleaned pot. Season with salt.
10. While the broth simmers, make the noodles. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add 7 ounces rice flour and 7
ounces tapioca flour. Turn mixer to medium-low speed and drizzle in boiling water. Continue to mix, pausing occasionally to
scrape down the sides with a flexible spatula, until a moist dough ball forms, about 3 minutes.
11. Whisk together remaining rice and tapioca flours, then sprinkle on a work surface. Turn dough ball out onto floured work
surface. Knead dough by hand until all of the flour on the board has been fully incorporated into a supple dough, about 4
minutes.
12. Roll dough into a thick log and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a small ball, then flatten with the palm
of your hand.
13. Working one dough disc at a time, and keeping the remainder covered with a kitchen towel to prevent drying, roll using a
rolling pin until roughly 1/8 inch thick and about 6 inches long.
14. Using a sharp knife, slice into noodles roughly 1/4 inch wide. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, dusting and tossing
gently with rice flour to prevent sticking. Keep noodles covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out. Repeat with
remaining dough.
15. Add noodles to boiling finished broth and cook, stirring very minimally to prevent them from breaking (they're brittle
until they cook through), until noodles float to the surface, 1-2 minutes.
16. Transfer noodles to soup bowls. Add shredded chicken to each bowl. Ladle broth into bowls. Serve hot, allowing diners to
garnish their soup with scallions, chiles, morning glory (if using), lime, fried garlic, fried shallots, and cilantro leaves and
tender stems.
In Conclusion, Laotian dishes are somehow found
similar to Thailand and Vietnam in terms of flavors
and ingredients consisting of fresh herb, spices,
noodles and rice, the food of Laos still has its own
stand and becomes an adventure for the palate of
travelers worldwide.
Thank you
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