Lap Shrimp with Escargot

The video shows the raw /fresh lap shrimp and the cooked lap shrimp. Not all lap recipes must have mint so in one recipe, I use cilantro. Lap is the national dish of Laos so please refer to my previous posts lap chicken and lap Lao beef.

Lap Chicken

The basic ingredients of the Lap Chicken is the same as Lap Lao Beef. However the method of preparing and cooking chicken is different from beef. You can mince chicken by using a food processor or you can view the video and learn how to mince meat by using a knife.

Salad Recipe: Lap Chicken
2 cups minced chicken meat
1 inch piece of galanga
1 inch piece of lemongrass
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water
1 chili chopped
1 kaffir lime leaf chopped
1 teaspoon chopped galanga
1 teaspoon chopped lemongrass
3 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2-3 tablespoons squeezed lime
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon ground toasted sticky rice
½ cup bean sprouts

In a medium pot add water, salt, galanga, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaf and bring to boil. Place minced chicken into a bowl and add hot water. Leave hot water in bowl for 1 minute and stir to separate chicken chunks, then drain water from the chicken. Repeat process of adding hot water into bowl and draining water out at least 3 times or until chicken is cooked. Lastly drain water using a colander. Let meat cool to room temperature then place into a large bowl. Use a fork to separate any large chunks. Add chopped chilies, kaffir lime leaf, galanga, lemongrass, mint, and green onions. Add squeezed lime and fish sauce. Toss all ingredients together. Add ground toasted sticky rice. Toss all ingredients again. Add bean sprouts and toss lightly so that bean sprouts do not break.

All lap dishes are served traditionally with sticky rice but Thai jasmine rice is also good.

Thai Lao Seafood Salad

The Thai Lao Seafood salad dish is commonly known as ‘Yum Talay’. When making this dish, do not overcook the seafood which will result to a chewy and rubbery texture…big mistake! Serve the seafood salad with Thai Lao Sticky Rice or Khao Chow which is jasmine rice.

Recipe for the Thai / Lao Seafood Salad:
1 cup fresh or frozen raw squid or cuttlefish
1 cup fresh or frozen raw shrimp
1 cup fresh or frozen raw mussels
¼ cup chopped sweet red peppers
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped mint
1 chopped chili
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime

If using frozen seafood, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then rinse in cold water and drain to remove any residue. If using fresh seafood, also rinse them in cold water and drain to remove any residue. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Submerge squid or cuttlefish into the boiling water for up to one minute. Submerge shrimp for up to two minutes and mussels for up to three minutes. Drain the seafood and combine them into a large mixing bowl. Cool seafood to room temperature or keep refrigerated until ready to mix. Add the remaining ingredients into the cooked seafood bowl and mix well. Garnish with extra mint.

Lap Lao Beef

Lap Lao is the national food dish of Laos. It is like a salad dish with meat and Thai Lao herbs tossed together. You can make Lap Chicken, fish, and shrimp. The mint and the Ground Toasted Sticky Rice are the two ingredients that must be in all lap Lao dishes.

Salad Recipe: Lap Lao Beef
1 cup thinly sliced beef that is barbecued to medium rare
¼ cup thinly sliced tripe (optional)
½ teaspoon chopped galangal
1 chili chopped
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoon chopped mint
1 kaffir lime leaf
½ teaspoon chopped lemongrass
2 -3 tablespoon fish sauce
2 -3 tablespoon squeezed lime
½ teaspoon MSG (optional)
1 tablespoon Ground Toasted Sticky Rice

Serve Lap Lao beef with sticky rice or Khao Chow which is jasmine rice . A lot of chopping is involved but the hard work is worth it. Also watch the Lap Chicken video.