Khai being are Lao seasoned baked eggs that taste so good with jeow som and sticky rice. It makes the perfect to go snack since the shell is its own container. I love making these baked egg with extra herbs since it gives it a bright green color and also makes an herbalicious egg. I grew up with my mom making these every weekend and mom would keep these available in a basket just like chips or snacks. These are great for all ages since the texture is so soft and melts in your mouth.

There is a lot of different khao soi dishes across Southeast Asia. The Lao style is a noodle soup with thick strands of rice noodles topped off with pork soy bean sauce and clear broth. I just love watching the red sauce diffuse through as I mix the noodles.

All over Asia, there are variations of steamed buns, but my favorite is the Lao steamed bun called Galabao. Its stuffed with a delicious seasoned pork noodle mixture with a side of hard boiled egg. These fluffy clouds are all the range for your go to snack.

Whenever I go on a vacation or just in general a trip away from my kitchen, I get those Lao papaya salad shakes. It means I’m craving papaya salad, but none of the restaurants make it the way I like it. The easiest solution is bringing your own papaya salad kit. Recently, I went to Joshua tree on a work retreat and I limited myself to bringing items. I decided to make a kit that didn’t need a mortar and pestle. My papaya salad kit included: a whole green papaya, padaek, shrimp paste, fish sauce, tamarind paste, crab paste, tomato, garlic, lime, sugar, and msg. You can see its a long list to make it. I condensed my papaya salad kit by dividing the ingredients into single use items.

Learn about the traditional Lao sour dipping sauce, Jeow Som and how it's used in Lao cuisine. Find out about the unique flavors and how to make it at home.

Khao lod song is a Lao dessert made with sweetened coconut milk with floating green pandan flavored gems. It can be sweetened with caramelized sugar or palm sugar. The green gems are made from a large strainer with the gems falling into ice cold water like green rain. There are variations found across Southeast Asia.

Lao food is mostly known for eating sticky rice for every meal, but there are a few times jasmine rice is eaten like this Lao crispy fried rice called nam khao. It is made with jasmine rice balls coated in curry and herbs then deep fried; the fried rice balls are broken and mixed with fish sauce, som moo soured pork, herbs, and roasted peanuts. This is a common Lao dish brought over to celebrations and gatherings. It is typically eaten as a lettuce wrap with added fried peppers.

Thom khem braised pork and egg stew is a beloved and comforting Lao dish. All Lao kids love eating this dish. It is made with caramelized sugar, fish sauce, seasoning sauce, ginger, and garlic with pork and eggs swimming in the liquid until it evaporates and the protein is golden brown.

Across the streets in Laos, you will find sausages hanging around getting sour or people grilling these herbalicious Lao sausages. These pair perfectly with jeow mak len spicy tomato dip and warm sticky rice. I prefer the uncured sai oua. These are filled with the common Lao aromatics like galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, padaek, and green onions.

Laab is the national dish of Laos and there are many variations of laab like laab diip. It is made from raw beef and is layered wit delicious Lao flavors like khao khua roasted sticky rice, bile, padaek, and lots of fresh herbs. You will find many adults enjoying this delicious dish.

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.