Is that Thai food, or Lao? 5 typical dishes from Laos that will help you see the difference
Think Laotian food all tastes the same as its Thai neighbours? These 5 distinctive dishes will make you think again
Northeastern Thai-style (Isaan) food is actually derived from Lao cuisine, and with a proliferation of restaurants in Laos serving Thai cuisine it is easy to get into a sticky situation with the food. These five typical Lao dishes will help you see the difference.
Larb
The unofficial national dish; one of the keys to this meat salad is the use of fresh herbs – a defining feature of Lao food. Usually containing mint, other herbs may join chillies, spring onions, roasted powdered sticky rice, lime juice and garlic which flavour the minced meat. Watch out, in some versions the meat can be raw. Simply wrap it into a lettuce leaf parcel to eat.
Laos often call themselves luk khao niaow, or the children of sticky rice, such is its importance to the cuisine. Sticky rice is the main part of most meals and is a standard accompaniment to larb.
Barbecue
Wander along the banks of the Mekong River in the capital Vientiane on a balmy evening, and you will be greeted by the wafting smoke from stands where fish and meat are being grilled. Cooked over charcoal, typical selections include marinated chicken and whole river fish, rubbed with salt and stuffed with lemongrass. Throw in a papaya salad and sticky rice and it makes a great meal.
Riverweed and jeow
Dried river algae may not sound appetising but kaipen, eaten in sheets, is more like seaweed. Flash fried and consumed as a snack it is popular in the former capital Luang Prabang, which was home to the Lao royal family for a long time, leaving a legacy of refined Laotian dishes.