World Flavors Cookbook

Laos Recipes

Lao cuisine is characterized by its use of sticky rice (khao niao), fresh herbs, fermented fish sauce (padaek), and bold, spicy flavors. It is a rustic, aromatic tradition that emphasizes fresh, local ingredients and communal dining.

Recipes from Laos

• Laab (Larb) Moo (Minced Pork Salad)

  Laos' national dish; a zesty, herby minced meat salad made with toasted rice powder, fresh mint, cilantro, and lime juice.

• Khao Soi (Lao Rice Noodle Soup)

  A comforting northern Lao noodle soup with a rich, fermented soybean and tomato meat sauce.

• Khao Jee Pâté (Lao Sandwich)

  A French-influenced baguette sandwich filled with pâté, Lao sausage, and spicy pickled vegetables.

• Khao Niew (Sticky Rice)

  The absolute staple of Lao cuisine; glutinous rice steamed in a bamboo basket.

• Tam Mak Hoong (Lao Papaya Salad)

  A fiery and pungent green papaya salad made with padaek (fermented fish sauce) and chillies.

• Sai Oua (Lao Herb Sausage)

  A fragrant pork sausage packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal.

• Mok Pa (Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)

  Fish fillets marinated in an aromatic herb paste and steamed inside a banana leaf packet.

• Nam Khao (Crispy Rice Salad)

  A textured salad made from deep-fried seasoned rice balls, broken up and mixed with sour pork and herbs.

• Khao Piak Sen (Chicken Noodle Soup)

  The Lao equivalent of chicken soup; thick, handmade tapioca noodles in a starchy, comforting chicken broth.

• Ping Gai (Grilled Chicken)

  Whole chicken marinated in a savory black pepper and coriander root paste, grilled over charcoal.

• Or Lam (Lao Stew)

  A unique Luang Prabang stew made with vegetables, mushrooms, and "sa kan" (chili wood) for a numbing, peppery flavor.

• Jaew Bong (Sweet and Spicy Chili Paste)

  A thick, sweet and spicy Lao condiment made with roasted chillies and bits of buffalo skin.

• Sin Savanh (Lao Beef Jerky)

  Thin strips of beef marinated in ginger and sesame seeds, sun-dried and then deep-fried.

• Gaeng Som (Lao Sour Soup)

  A light and refreshing sour fish soup flavored with tamarind, lemongrass, and dill.

• Khao Poon (Spicy Rice Vermicelli Soup)

  A rich, coconut-based spicy noodle soup with shredded chicken or fish, served with a mountain of fresh vegetables.

• Som Moo (Fermented Pork Sausage)

  Tangy and savory fermented pork sausage, often eaten raw as a snack or cooked into salads.

• Khua Mee (Fried Noodles)

  Lao style stir-fried rice noodles with a sweet and savory caramel sauce, topped with egg ribbons.

• Ping Pa (Grilled Fish)

  Whole freshwater fish stuffed with lemongrass and herbs, grilled until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender.

• Khao Nom Kok (Coconut Pancakes)

  Sweet and creamy bite-sized coconut milk pancakes cooked in a specialized dimpled pan.

• Khao Piak Khao (Rice Porridge)

  A comforting rice congee cooked with chicken or pork, ginger, and aromatic toppings.

• Soop Pak (Steamed Vegetable Salad)

  A healthy salad of steamed leafy greens and vegetables tossed with sesame seeds, ginger, and padaek.

• Khao Lam (Bamboo Sticky Rice)

  Sticky rice mixed with coconut milk and black beans, roasted inside a bamboo tube.

• Nam Van (Sweet Coconut Dessert)

  A generic name for many colorful Lao desserts featuring fruits or jellies in sweet coconut milk.

• Ping Lap (Grilled Meat Salad)

  A variation of Laap where the meat is grilled instead of boiled, giving it a smoky depth.

• Khao Jee (Grilled Sticky Rice)

  Patties of sticky rice coated in egg and grilled over charcoal until golden and crispy.

• Mok No Mai (Steamed Bamboo Shoots)

  Shredded bamboo shoots marinated in yanang leaf extract and steamed in banana leaves.

• Khao Sang Khaya (Sticky Rice with Custard)

  Sweetened sticky rice topped with a rich, steamed coconut egg custard.

• Tom Yum Pla (Lao Fish Soup)

  A spicy and sour fish soup flavored with galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.

• Khua Pak (Stir-fried Vegetables)

  A simple and healthy stir-fry of seasonal Lao vegetables with garlic and oyster sauce.

• Laap Gai (Chicken Larb)

  Minced chicken mixed with toasted rice powder, lime, fish sauce, fresh mint, and chilies — the Lao national dish in its lightest form.

• Khao Piak Sen (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup)

  Thick, fresh hand-pulled rice noodles in a rich chicken broth with galangal and lemongrass — the comforting Lao breakfast soup.

• Tam Mak Hoong (Green Papaya Salad)

  The Lao original green papaya salad — more sour and fermented than Thai som tam, pounded with crab paste and padaek (fermented fish).

• Ping Sin (Lao Grilled Beef)

  Thinly sliced beef marinated in lemongrass, fish sauce, and galangal, then grilled over charcoal — a Lao night market staple.

• Jaew Mak Len (Roasted Tomato Dipping Sauce)

  Charred tomatoes and chilies pounded with fish sauce and padaek — the universal Lao dipping sauce eaten with sticky rice and grilled meats.

• Mok Gai (Lao Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaf)

  Minced chicken mixed with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and herbs, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed — the chicken version of mok pa.

• Khanom Khrok (Lao Coconut Rice Pancakes)

  Crispy-edged mini coconut rice pancakes with a creamy, barely-set center — the beloved Lao street dessert.

• Tom Khem (Lao Sweet Braised Pork)

  Pork belly slowly braised in palm sugar, soy sauce, and five-spice until deeply caramelized — the Lao version of a sweet braised pork.

• Nam Phrik Num (Green Chili Dip)

  Roasted long green chilies, garlic, and shallots pounded into a smoky, moderately spicy dip — served with raw vegetables and sticky rice.

• Khao Niew Sankhaya (Sticky Rice with Coconut Custard)

  Steamed sticky rice served alongside a silky coconut-egg custard infused with pandan — a festive Lao dessert.