I consider Lao papaya salad thum mak hoong papaya salad as an essential dish on all Lao food tables. The perfect bite is fresh sticky rice used to grab some papaya salad and bing gai grilled chicken. Thum mak hoong is usually funky, spicy, and aggressive in flavor. The pool of papaya salad juice is dark due to the crab paste, shrimp paste, and padaek. If you are lucky, there will be a Lao plum and salted whole crab pieces.

The pho I was used to had a sweeter broth due to the added sugar to help balance the very spicy broth, a darker broth with the added ingredients and several condiments, and a side of shrimp paste with fresh bird eye chili peppers for the extra kick; this is what I call pho Lao.

These Lao curry puffs are always gone when I make them for my family. This curry puff recipe will show you how to make the delicious beef curry mixture and also the flaky layered crispy shell. In general, curry puffs are very popular all across Southeast Asia and there are many variations. Please give my recipe a try!

This Lao dessert is called khao nom sun aka steamed layer cake. There are many variations across other Southeast Asian countries. I made this one with butterfly pea flower to make it purple and blue. Also, I show you how to make cute flower and cartoon animal shapes.

Nam wan is a classic Lao dessert and it translates to sweetened water. You can think of the word “nam wan” as an umbrella word for many other types of sweetened coconut milk drink desserts. It is typically made with sweetened coconut milk with various toppings. I made this one with dyed mini tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, and jackfruit in syrup, but you can put your other favorite Southeast Asian fruits in there too. The coconut milk is cooked on low with a pandan leaves to give it that very slight herbal scent and flavor.

Lao sukiyaki is a staple in Lao cuisine and it brings all the creamy and seafood flavors into a bowl. The two main components are the broth and the peanut sukiyaki sauce. It usually has a poached egg, thin glass noodles, veggies, and whatever seafood you want. This is a noodle dish that needs extra effort but is well worth the work. Think of this like a custom hot pot for one.

I love pizza and I love Lao food so why not try putting them together and see what this fusion could be. I made this pizza a few times and there is never a slice left over.

Or Lam is a very traditional Lao stew. It is usually made with ox and one of the unique components is the mai sakahn.