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 :>