Lao cuisine may not be appreciated in the culinary map of Southeast Asia, but there are always delicious dishes, which will make you remember when you leave.
1. Sticky rice (Klao niaw)
Rice is a very important food in Laos, especially sticky rice, although sticky rice (Khao chao) and rice vermicelli (Khao poon) are also popular here. The members of the Laotian family often eat rice from a common bowl or use each one individually, sticky rice is eaten by Lao people by hand. When eating, the Laotians will hold sticky rice into small pellets, and then use it as a spoon to scoop and spread the food on the plate to the mouth, or dot the dipping sauce. Chef Deinla of Phu Doi restaurant in Luang Prabang shared the secret to creating the perfect sticky rice dish: “It is advisable to soak sticky rice overnight before use, then wash it several times before steaming it in one bamboo basket”. In addition, to Laos you will also enjoy the attractive Khao Lam sticky rice (glutinous rice will be put inside a bamboo tube and baked under a fire).
2. Laap
In Laotian language, Laap (also known as Greek) has a lucky meaning, symbolizing a blessing for peace. This dish material can use beef, pork, chicken … mixed with chopped liver and spices such as lemon juice, chili, galangal. After mixing well, the dish will be served with raw vegetables such as lettuce, lettuce, cowpea … all together to create an extremely attractive aroma. The sourness of lemon juice, spicy chilli, the aroma of spices … give visitors an unforgettable feeling.
3. Tam Mak Houng
Papaya salad in Lao is called Tam Maak Houng. The selected papaya is not too green, but not nearly nine. After papaya is scraped into yarn, it will be put into the mortar to stab lightly. Spices included lemon juice, shrimp paste, eggplant, pepper, chili. When eating the papaya salad of Laos, the aroma of the spice blends with the sour taste will give diners its own flavor unlike any dish sold anywhere else. Most restaurants and bars in Laos have this dish.
4. French crispy bread
Having spent a long time as a French colony, French dishes are also popular in Laos, and are easily found everywhere, especially in restaurants in Vientiane and Luang Phrabang. In particular, French crunchy bread or baguette is a popular breakfast dish of Laotians. Laotians often dip baguette into milk coffee to eat, or eat with fried eggs or put pate in like sandwiches.
5. Khausoy
Khausoy is a famous dish in Luang Phrabang, looking outside similar to pho but the ingredients are much simpler and the taste is very delicious. Khausoy water used is just boiled water and filtered into big noodles. After that, pour water and pho into the bowl, add to the top, served with vegetables, raw spinach, dried onion, pepper, chili sauce. Khausoy is the most important ingredient of this dish, made from pureed pork mixed with garlic, tomatoes and spices.