Thai Lao Cucumber Salad

The cucumber salad video introduces the Crab Extract. You can use this crab extract to make jeow ga boo which is a traditional sticky rice dipping sauce.

Also the crab extract is a popular ingredient in the long bean noodle salad and the green papaya salad to give the sauce a dark colour. You can mix the cucumber salad with vermicelli noodles but in my video, I mix it with ground toasted sticky rice.

Jeow Ba Dek - Lao National Dipping Sauce

For every Lao and Thai traditional meal, there must be a dipping sauce, also known as 'jeow'. This jeow ba dek is the most traditional and that is why I call it the Lao National Dipping Sauce.

Other versions of this traditional Thai and Lao dipping sauce:
For 'jeow ga be' use shrimp paste instead of salted gourami fish
For 'jeow ga boo' use crab paste instead of salted gourami fish
For 'jeow bee' add 1 tablespoon of gall bladder and mix with any dipping sauces to give the sauce a bitter flavour

Jeow Ba Dek
½ teaspoon chopped lemongrass
½ teaspoon chopped galangal
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
1 chopped kaffer lime leaf
2 tablespoons chopped or minced salted gourami fish (ba dek)
1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
3 tablespoons lime juice

In a Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set pound lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and lime leaf until smooth. Add minced salted gourami fish and squeezed lime. Mix and serve with sticky rice and jasmine rice

Water Lily Stir Fry

Some call it “water lily” or “on choy” but in Thailand and Laos, this green vegetable is called “puk bonge”. Purchase the water lily vegetable at most Asian supermarkets.

Most Thai and Lao people will eat water lilies raw with spicy dishes like the green green papaya salad, lap Lao beef and lap chicken because it cools the tongue. I prefer it raw myself but here is a stir fry recipe given to me from my aunt “Ba Von”.

Stir Fry Recipe: Water Lily
1 tablespoon oil
¼ cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 inch of ginger and sliced thinly
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce or hoisin sauce

Cut 2 inches off the bottom stem and discard. Wash water lily in cold water thoroughly and remove any damaged leaves. Drain excess water. In a small bowl, mix shrimp paste, fish sauce, and oyster/hoisin sauce. Cut the washed water lily 4 inches in length and separate the large stems from the smaller stems. In a wok over high heat, add oil, garlic, onions and ginger. Stir fry until onions are tender. Add the thick stems and stir fry for about 2 minutes, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium. After 2 minutes, remove lid and add the tender stems and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Turn heat off and add sauce. Mix sauce with water lily stir fry and serve immediately.

Serve water lily stir fry with sticky rice or jasmine rice.

Lao Pho - Beef Noodle Soup

Happy New Year!

Thai pho is called 'Guoi Tiao' so when in Laos, ask for 'Pho' and when in Thailand, ask for 'Guoi Tiao'. This beef noodle soup is the most popular soup in Laos and Thailand. I like to make this soup on new years and weekends because it requires low preparation time, the broth simmers all day, and guests help themselves.

People from the northern region of Laos prefer khao soy which is with minced pork and salted soy beans noodle soup. Khao soy uses wide pho noodles.

For 12 years, everytime I craved pho, would order it at restaurants and was never quite satisfied of the taste. I find the pho soups at restaurants have too much fat and not enough meat, vegetables, herbs and sauce options. Since my parents taught me, I make my own at home and for the price of one pho soup bowl, I could feed a family of 6.

You can stir fry pho noodles to make Pad Thai Pho Noodles. Do not substitute vermicelli noodles for pho noodles. The star anis can also be added to dome kim which is pork and egg in soy sauce.

Pho Soup Broth:
1 pound beef bones
1 tablespoon salt
3 liters water
4 star anis
1/2 of whole onion
24 beef balls

In a large pot, over high heat, add all ingredients except beef balls. Boil 30 minutes. Scoop out dark foam that floats in broth. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight or until fat hardens. Remove fat and place broth over high heat. Add beef balls and boil.

Side Options of Meat, Vegetables, Herbs, and Sauces:thinly slice raw beef
Thai basil
fish sauce
chopped cooked tripe
chopped cilantro
shrimp paste
tomato slices
chopped green onions
chili tomato sauce
bean sprouts
lime slices
oyster sauce

Soak pho noodles 30 minutes in cold water and drain. In a large soup bowl, add a handful of noodles. Pour hot water into bowl to cover noodles. After 3 seconds, drain water out. Add desired amounts of meat, vegetables, herbs, and squeezed lime into bowl. Add pho broth and beef balls. Add 1 tablespoon each fish sauce, oyster sauce, chili tomato sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste. Mix soup and enjoy!

Green Mango Salad

I shred the green mango like the green papaya; I use only a sharp knife. I make the green papaya salad with the use of a Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set but DO NOT use a mortar and pestle to make the green mango salad.

Salad Recipe: Green Mango Salad
1 cup shredded mango
2 tablespoons crushed toasted peanuts or ground toasted sticky rice
2 tablespoons chopped red onions
1 chopped chili (optional)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon shrimp paste

In a bowl, add sugar, fish sauce and shrimp paste. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add chilies and red onions and mix. Add mixture to a bowl of shredded mango and toss. Top with crushed toasted peanuts or ground toasted rice. Alternatively you can use the sour fruit dipping sauce. to make this green mango salad

Thai Lao Curry Paste

The Thai Lao Curry paste is often cooked with fresh coconut milk to make a curry dish like:
chicken curry
chicken & shrimp curry skewers
fish curry noodle soup

When purchasing any Thai and Lao curry pastes, make sure the ingredients, that are listed below, are included.

Dipping Sauce Recipe: Thai Lao Curry Paste
1 kaffir lime leaf chopped
1 tablespoon chopped galangal
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped red onions
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1-2 teaspoons chili powder

Place all ingredients in a Thai / Lao Mortar. Using a pestle, pound the ingredients in the mortar until a paste is formed. Store curry paste in the refrigerator or freezer.

Green Papaya Salad

The most popular salad dishes is the Green Papaya salad. I like it spicy--5 chilies at least! On the first bite your tongue should experience extreme heat, salt, sour and sweet all at once. It is invigrating! If its too spicy chew on water lily greens

To make green papaya noodle salad: Double the amount of fish sauce, shrimp paste, lime, sugar and dried shrimp in the mortar. Dish the green papaya salad into a bowl and toss with sin khao bune (rice noodle) before serving. Watch the video of the long bean noodle salad recipe to see how to incorporate the rice noodles.

Salad Recipe: Green Papaya Salad1-4 chilies
1 garlic cloves
3 cups shredded green papaya (watch video: Shredding Green Papaya)
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
3 tablespoons squeezed lime
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)

Using the Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set, crush chilies and garlic until they are separated. Add the rest of the ingredients in the mortar. Using the pestle to crush and a tablespoon to stir, mix all the ingredients in the mortar. When the sugar and shrimp paste are dissolved the papaya salad is ready to be served.

The Thai & Lao Food video shows the traditional method. Some Thai / Lao restaurants toss all the ingredients into a large bowl. In my opinion, for an authentic texture, the tomatoes need to be crushed in a Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set.