Laos - Eating and Drinking

Although not as well known as Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, Lao food is a delicious mix of fresh flavors such as galangal, lime, lemongrass, basil, coriander, and mint. Meals are generally shared communally with a soup, grilled or steamed meat, a variety of green leafy vegetables, dipping sauces, and sticky rice. Rarely do the Lao eat with utensils, instead they form small balls of sticky rice in their fingers and used as an aid to pick up the food. Chopsticks are only used in the case of noodle soups, but fear not! Utensils are commonly available for foreign tourists. 

The national dish of Laos is laap, a delicious dish made of finely minced meat, lemongrass, and herbs. Spicy salads such as tam mak houng are also popular. This particular dish is made from green (unripened) papaya, tomatoes, lime juice, peanuts, chilies, and fish sauce. Grilled meats, especially chicken and fish, are extremely popular and walking down the street the smell is mouth watering! Mok pa fork is a steamed fish in banana leaf dish, accompanied by a mild coconut sauce. A similar version of this is found in neighboring Cambodia and Thailand.

Most locals enjoy jaews with their meal. These are salsa-like dipping sauces, made from tomatoes, eggplant, or other vegetables. Traditionally jaews have accompanied meals in poor villages to break the monotony of eating endless amounts of plain sticky rice, but nowadays are being enjoyed by more and more tourists. 

For celebrations, a pun pa is a festive meal meant to be shared. A whole steam fish, marinated in local herbs and stuffed with lemongrass, is served with a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs, and sauces. Diners create their own individual parcels of lettuce wraps seasoned to taste!

If laap is the national dish of Laos, then Beer Lao is certainly the national drink of Laos! This delicious beer was, up until recently, the only type of beer available in the country and regardless of how remote in the jungle you were, the villagers always seem to have a bottle ready to share. For something a bit stronger, lao lao is the traditional rice wine. Made in the villages, this strong alcohol is made by fermenting rice and is often consumed at weddings and other celebrations.

In the southern Boloven Plateau, Laos grows fantastic tea and coffee. The locals drink their coffee strong, often with a hefty dollop of sweetened condensed milk. Green, loose-leaf tea is served as an accompaniment although higher-end teas are beginning to appear.