Laos Foods Recipes

The tapioca pearl dessert is probably the most popular of Lao desserts. There are endless versions. For instance, you can use yam instead of taro; jackfruit is optional; tapioca pearl comes in different sizes and colours. This Lao dessert is probably similar to the Asian "bubble tea" since they both contain the tapioca pearl. For a colour and crunch version of the tapioca pearl, the substitute the dessert with the water chestnut dumplings. Dessert Recipe : Tapioca Pearl, & Taro Jackfruit Dessert 1 cup tapioca pearl 2 cups chopped taro or yam ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup fresh coconut milk ½ chopped jackfruit (optional) water Peel bark from taro and wash. Cut taro into bite size pieces. Bring 6 cups water to boil. Add tapioca pearl and boil for 15 minutes. Drain tapioca pearl in colander and rinse under running water. In a bowl, add tapioca pearl and 1/2 cup of cold water. In a pot, over high heat, add 2 cups water. Once water boils, add salt, sugar, taro...

Here is my personal recipe for the curry peanut dipping sauce. I made it up using common Thai and Lao ingredients. Please note that the paprika is a common ingredient in the Khao Bune fish curry broth to give the broth a radiant red colour. Vegetarian Recipe: Curry Peanut Dipping Sauce 1 tablespoon oil ½ tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon chopped shallots or onions 1 cup fresh coconut milk 1 kaffir lime leaf 2 sprigs lemongrass 1 tablespoon Thai Lao Curry Paste ¼ cup chopped tomatoes ½ cup ground peanuts 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon chopped chilies (optional) 1 teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons squeezed lime juice In a wok over medium heat, add oil, chopped garlic and shallots. Stir until shallots are soft. Add remaining ingredients and stir fry for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Remove from heat. Discard the lemongrass and lime leaf. Serve sauce with fresh spring rolls or shrimp chips.

This corn wrap dessert is also known as "khao dome sa-lee". I've mentioned banana leaves and how you can make khao dome (coconut sticky rice in banana leaves). This dessert is very similar but wrapped in corn leaves. You can use banana leaves if you run out of corn leaves. Dessert Recipe : Thai Lao Sweet Corn Wrap Dessert 3 cups corn kernels 1 cup sticky rice that has been soaked in water for minimum 4 hours and water drained 1 cup sugar 1 cup fresh coconut milk 1 cup tapioca pearls corn leaves Discard about 3 layers of the outer corn leaves but save the tender corn leaves. Wash the tender leaves, pat dry, and cut the rough core. Remove corn husk and discard. Wash corn, cut kernels, and place into a large bowl. Add sticky rice, sugar, and fresh coconut milk. Puree until smooth. Add tapioca pearls and mix with spoon. Heat mixture over medium heat to thicken or wait about 2 hours until tapioca pearls thicken mixture. Place 2 tablespoons of mixture in corn leaf. F...

The host of a Lao gathering who calls for a celebration like a birthdays, weddings, new years and Christmas will serve khao bune soup. Khao Bune soup is traditionally made with either fish or pork and I've given you the fish recipe. If you are serving this soup to Thai or Lao guests they will help themselves so serve the garnish, herbs and sauce in a baffet style. Any left over shredded banana blossoms, shredded red cabbage, Thai basil, and Vermicelli noodle bundles may be rolled into making spring rolls made with rice paper. For non Thai and Lao guests, I recommend having the individual bowls ready with noodles, garnish and herb. When everyone is at the dinner table, pour the broth into the bowls, add squeezed lime juice and fish sauce. Let the guests mix the soup. Soup Recipe: Khao Bune Fish Broth 2 lbs grouper or any fresh water white fish like cat fish 2 litres cold water 1 inch galangal 3 kaffir lime leaf 2 inches lemongrass 1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons chopped...

 The presentation is a little different because steamed cassava results to a soft and sticky texture. Therefore, it is necessary to toss the steam cassava squares in coconut flakes to keep the squares separated. Dessert Recipe: Steam Cassava with Coconut Flakes : 1 batch coconut cassava recipe Thai Lao stainless steel steamer coconut flakes Make a batch of coconut cassava recipe and pour into a baking dish. Add 2 ½ inches water into Thai and Lao steamer bottom pot. Place a steaming layer over the bottom pot. Place baking dish of cassava inside steaming layer. Place lid over steaming layer. Place steamer over maximum heat and steam cassava for 30 minutes. Cool then cut into squares. Toss the cassava squares into coconut flakes and place onto serving platter.

A lot of Thai and Lao recipes, especially dessert recipes, call for coconut milk. Here is how to make fresh coconut milk without the preservatives from packaged store bought coconut milk. Drink Recipe: Fresh Coconut Milk Fresh coconut flakes from one coconut 3 cups cold water Colander or cheese cloth Place coconut flakes in a colander and a colander in a large bowl. Add cold water into bowl. Use hands to mix and squeeze water and coconut flakes together for 5 minutes. Lift the colander from the bowl so that it does not touch coconut the milk. Squeeze the coconut milk from the flakes and discard the flakes. Make sure the colander or cheese cloth have small holes so that the flakes do not mix in with the coconut milk.

So day I post coconut flakes that are used to make fresh coconut milk and to garnish over dessert recipes like steam cassava with coconut flakes. Instructions on making Coconut Flakes: 1 coconut 1 coconut grater Take one coconut and put in your hand or on a table so that the ends of the coconut is facing east and west. Take a strong, heavy knife and chop in the middle until the coconut cracks. Drain coconut juice in a glass. Separate the coconut in half and use the grater to grate the coconut meat. Stop grating when you see the brown bark. For best presentation, avoid mixing any brown coconut bark with the coconut flakes. .

Thailand and Laos climate is hot year round and this cold drink refreshes and serves as an excellent light dessert. Drink Recipe : Black Bean Coconut 1 cup dry black beans 1 teaspoon salt 2 litres water 1 cup sugar 2 cups fresh coconut milk Ice Soak black beans over night in cold water. Drain water from beans. In a large pot over high heat add beans, water, salt, and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil then to reduce medium heat and cover with lid. Stir occasionally and cook for 45 minutes. Make sure bottom of pot does not burn. Turn heat off. Add fresh coconut milk into pot and cool. Serve in a tall glass with ice and spoon. I add left over black bean coconut drink to cook with sticky rice for the sticky Rice & Mango recipe. It gives the rice a nice purple colour and the beans add texture and protein to the dessert.

 I decided to bake squash with the coconut custard filling. This traditional Thai and Lao dessert is perfect to serve after a heavy turkey dinner and requires less time than pumkin pie. Dessert Recipe: Squash with Thai Lao Custard 1 buttercup squash 1 pepper squash 1 coconut custard recipe Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and soft pulp. Add coconut custard mixture inside squash. Fill custard to the top. To bake: set oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place squash filled custard into baking dish. Bake for 1 hour. To steam: place squash filled custard inside steaming bamboo basket. Cover squash with lid. Add 2 inches of water into steaming pot. Place pot over high heat and steaming basket inside pot. Steam for 45 minutes.

Dessert Recipe : Khao Sung Ga Ya - Black Sticky Rice & Coconut Custard 1 cup fresh coconut milk 1/4 cup sugar 3 cups cooked black sticky rice (see instructions below) 1 batch from the coconut custard recipe Instructions on how to cook Black Sticky Rice: Mix 1/2 cup black sticky rice with 1 cup white sticky rice. Soak over night. Steam for 40 minutes. In a pot over medium heat, add coconut milk and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add cooked black sticky rice. Break up rice and stir for 20 minutes or until fresh coconut milk is absorbed into rice. Turn heat off. Spread onto serving plate. Cool to room temperature. Spoon coconut custard over black sticky rice. An alternative method of serving this Thai Lao dessert is to toss coconut flakes over the sweet black sticky rice and serve the coconut custard on the side.

Curry dishes are best serve with Khao Chow (jasmine rice) rather than sticky rice. I like this dish served with sin khao bune (rice noodle) to make a hot noodle salad: into a bowl, add sin khao bune and spoon the chicken curry over top; add extra chopped Thai basil, cilantro, green onions, and bean sprouts. Stir Fry Recipe : Thai Chicken Curry with Long Beans and Bamboo 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon oil ¼ cup chopped bamboo shoots ¼ cup chopped long beans ¼ cup chopped tomatoes 1 cup chopped chicken ½ cup fresh coconut milk 1 tablespoon red Thai Lao Curry Paste 1 to 2 sprigs of chopped Thai basil 2 tablespoons fish sauce Boil chopped bamboo shoots for 30 minutes to remove yellow colouring. Drain water from bamboo and set bamboo aside. In a wok over high heat, add oil and garlic. Stir until garlic is crisp. Add chicken and stir until cooked. Add tomatoes and stir for one minute. Add fresh coconut milk, bamboo, long beans and curry paste. Stir for 2 minutes. Tu...

A great way to use up left over sticky rice is to make the Sticky Rice & Mango dessert. Dessert Recipe: Sticky Rice & Mango 1 cup fresh coconut milk 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar 3 cups cooked sticky rice 1 ripe mango In a pot, over medium heat, add coconut and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add sticky rice and stir until fresh coconut milk absorbs into sticky rice. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Remove skin of mango, cut into bit size pieces and discard the mango pit. Dish sticky rice on to a serving bowl or plate. Add mango slices over rice and serve. I like to add left over black bean coconut drink to cook with the sticky rice. It gives the rice a nice purple colour and the beans add texture and protein to the dessert.

In the honour of Father's Day, I post this Khao Dome recipe. Khao Dome is my dad's favourite appetizer. He doesn't like coconut but makes an exception for Khao Dome. Recipe for Thai / Lao Khao Dome: 1 cup sticky rice 1 cup fresh coconut milk 1/3 cup sugar 1 plantain sliced 1 package Banana Leaves, washed & trimmed 1. Take one cup of Lao sticky rice. Rinse and drain several times in cold water to remove any debris. Add cold water to cover sticky rice. Let sticky rice soak in cold water overnight or for at least 4 hours. 2. Place a sauce pan over medium heat. Add fresh coconut milk and sugar into sauce pan. Stir to dissolve sugar. 3. Drain water from the sticky rice. Add Sticky rice into sauce pan. 4. Stir rice until coconut milk is absorbed and resembles a thick porridge. 5. Turn heat off and let rice cool. 6. Remove the skin from the plantain. Slice the plantain into nine pieces. 7. Take a sheet of a Banana Leaf that is about the size of a standard paper...

 You can purchase grated frozen cassava but you’ll need to first thaw the packages before mixing the cassava with the other ingredients. The cassava mixture may be steamed and then tossed into coconut flakes. Check out steam cassava with coconut flakes Recipe for Baked Cassava Dessert Squares: 3-4 cups of cassava finely grated 1 egg (optional) 1 cup sugar 1 ½ cups fresh coconut milk Mix all ingredients together in a large boil. Pour the cassava mix into a 7 x 10 inches baking pan. Bake in the oven in 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes or until the center of the dessert is firm. Cool and then cut into squares.