Naem

Naem

This sun-ripened pork delicacy is a must-find during any morning market stroll when you’re in Laos.

Gently sour flavors and mushy meat goodness, Naem ferments to perfection. This pork mixture cooks with steam before being hung out, usually in bright sunshine for 1-2 days.

Containing various combinations of what might feel at first like all the lesser used parts of the pig (and they most definitely are), this dish is really a beautiful and deliciously efficient way to use more than just the usual cuts of ribs, shoulders, or porkchops.

Using All That Nature Provides

Cartilage crunching, chewy skin goodness, don’t forget the powerfully hot chili peppers, all smoothed together by your necessary dose of collagen, Naem is yet another example of how Laos cuisine is just full of ideas for how to make the best use of all that nature provides.

Where to go: Food night market next to the walking street in LuangPrabang, look for it on a seller’s table. At the morning market in LuangPrabang you’ll find an excellent version.

THE CONTENTS OF A SAUSAGE, MADE INTO A CAKE INSTEAD.