{"id":18119,"date":"2025-01-14T03:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T03:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/?p=18119"},"modified":"2025-01-14T03:00:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T03:00:40","slug":"laos-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/laos-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Laos Food"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><strong><u>Laap<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Translated on most menus as simply a \u2018meat salad,\u2019 and also spelled in English commonly as larb or laab (laab or laap would be the most phonetically accurate), laap is one of the ultimate staple Laos foods, a heavyweight.<br \/>\nThe word\u00a0<em>Laap<\/em>\u00a0actually refers to any meat prepared immediately after butchering. Always fresh, often eaten raw, this dish is a mainstay in the Laos local diet.<br \/>\nYou can choose from any meat that the restaurant has available, but often a certain individual restaurant in Laos may specialize in pork laap, or fish laap.<br \/>\nThe chef will often mince, then quickly fry (or keep it raw if you order the raw version) the meat while adding fish sauce, a garden full of fresh herbs (including Laos mint, cilantro, and green onions), lime juice, and\u00a0toasted sticky rice powder. The rice powder is an ingredient that gives\u00a0<em>Laap<\/em>\u00a0its signature flavor.<br \/>\nAll ingredients are mixed until everything is perfectly even. Local versions of Laos laap can also include bile, yes the digestive fluid, adding a unique bitterness to your plate of laap.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Very different from Laap in North-East Thailand<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As opposed to the\u00a0laap you\u2019ll find in Thailand\u00a0(or Isaan more specifically), Laos laap is usually heavier on the herbs.<br \/>\nThere\u2019s also\u00a0<em>koi<\/em>, a Laos mixed salad very similar to laap, but often made with slightly blanched meat or fish.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18120\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-20-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-20-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-20-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-20-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-20.jpg 1143w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>OUTSTANDING PLATE OF LAAP IN VIENTIANE, LAOS<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Paeng Pet<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Eating raw duck blood, or even pig or goat blood, is very common in Laos.<br \/>\nFresh blood is a given, and in this duck version, the blood is mixed with some cooked minced duck and organs, and again, heaps of Laos herbs like mint, green onions, and cilantro. They also often add some crispy shallots and peanuts.<br \/>\nJam-packed full of herbs, yet not even close to being a vegetable dish, this combination of minty-ness, lime juice, and fire-hot from raw local chilies will set you on fire. The one-two combo of rich, oily goodness from the fried duck meat as well as its gooey and creamy blood will have you coming back for breakfast the next day.<br \/>\nSpooning up the duck blood, squeezing out the lime juice, chasing each bite with a shrimp paste-covered green chili pepper \u2013 this dish is just a joy to eat.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18121\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-19-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-19-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-19-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-19-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-19.jpg 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>PAENG PET IS ALWAYS SUPER SPICY, AND MADE WITH FRESH DUCK BLOOD!<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Jaew<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>Jaew<\/em>\u00a0can refer to any type of dipping sauce, of which Laos has a never ending abundance.<br \/>\nThese dishes always contain chili peppers, and usually some type of grilled vegetable, giving them a distinct smoky flavor, and sometimes fermented fish. Enjoyed with sticky rice or vegetables, this is one food dear to the heart of Laos cuisine.<br \/>\nMade with a mortar and pestle, it\u2019s the pounding action smashing ingredients together that makes the taste so delightfully strong. Full of Laos\u2019 dearly-loved ingredient, the clay-pot fermented fish known as\u00a0<em>Pa Daek<\/em>, is umami in the extreme.<br \/>\n<strong>Get exclusive updates<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First the garlic and raw chilis, then fish sauce and some squeezes from a lime or two, this basis can then be made into any one of a dozen recipes by adding a final vegetable and\/or meat ingredient.<br \/>\nSome of the more common types would be\u00a0<em>Jaew Ma-Keua<\/em>, made with roasted eggplant, or\u00a0<em>Jaew Moo<\/em>, pork meat and pork cracklings pounded together, strikingly similar to the\u00a0Chicharron Tacos\u00a0in Mexico City.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Buffalo Jerky is the Secret Ingredient<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>Jaew bong<\/em>\u00a0is another local Laos favorite, a chili dip made with dried chilies, garlic, galangal, shallots, and a little dried buffalo for taste.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:<\/strong>\u00a0 This dish would usually be available at fresh markets, food markets, as it is mainly a smaller home-cooked dish. We found it at a road-side stall on the way to Phou Si Market.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18122\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-20-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-20-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-20-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-20-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-20.jpg 1197w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>GENTLY CUT CILANTRO RESTING ATOP A RAGING FURNACE OF FLAVOR.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Or Lam<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>Or Lam<\/em>\u00a0(but better pronounced as aw lahm) is always prepared using animal fat (usually pork) instead of vegetable. Traditionally including tough yet flavorful buffalo skin, and\u00a0<em>Mai Sakaan<\/em>, a magic ingredient that can only be described in English as \u2018spicy chili wood.\u2019<br \/>\nAn extremely earthy flavor combination, it usually contains some herbs like dill or holy basil and sometimes a wild ingredient like again,\u00a0mai sakaan.\u00a0 The broth is thick and usually kind of sticky \u2013 you can almost feel the potent nutrients among all that hearty flavor.<br \/>\nThe special wood ingredient is very fibrous, meant to be chewed but then spit out, and it makes for a tasty and fun bite, that tingles the tongue slightly similar to\u00a0Sichuan pepper. It is full of the oils and juices produced during the long stewing times of different pork parts. Or lam is an amazing Lao dish.<br \/>\n<strong>Perfectly Paired with Sticky Rice<br \/>\n<\/strong>Sticky rice is also a must, and this was one of the most commonly ordered dishes we saw on local tables when visiting Luang Prabang.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:\u00a0<\/strong>Find this at any higher-end Laos restaurant, we had a great dish of it at Phamsai Houngchalern Restaurant in Luang Prabang, Laos.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18123\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-17-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"831\" height=\"554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-17-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-17-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-17-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-17.jpg 1239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>OR LAM \u2013 A LAO FOOD STAPLE<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Khao Piak Sen<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A great first meal of any full-day Laos food tour, this simple and satisfying bowl of rice noodles can be found on nearly every street corner in Laos.<br \/>\nCommon throughout both Laos and neighboring Vietnam, there\u2019s a reason why this dish is so iconic among travelers in the region.<br \/>\nHours in the making, it begins with a massively deep flavorful meat-stock. The chef is usually up long before dawn, creating a gigantic drum full of soup and wheeling it to a restaurant\u2019s front door. Be on the lookout for this stainless steel container, and a line of excited people beside.<br \/>\n<em>Khao Piak Sen<\/em>\u00a0is unique among rice noodle dishes in that they use thick, hand rolled noodles. They blanch the noodles in the soup stock without removing the starch from the noodles, giving the soup an almost gravy like thickness \u2013 rather than a typical watery soup.<br \/>\nAt the table setting you will usually find a small dish of fresh herbs, hot red peppers fried in oil (insanely good), shrimp paste, and often some dried crushed peanuts as well.<br \/>\n<strong>One of Laos\u2019 Oldest Dishes<br \/>\n<\/strong>The history of this dish goes back thousands of years, the better known version made with rice instead of noodles. (I had a great dish of it myself, called\u00a0<em>Khao Piak Kao<\/em>, on the way to our Khmu Village Homestay). If you find it, don\u2019t forget to ask the chef for a few pieces of lime to take your rice soup to the next level.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to find it<\/strong>: There are a few stalls in the\u00a0morning market in Luang Prabang<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18124\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-15-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"830\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-15-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-15-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-15-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-15.jpg 1185w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>IN LUANG PABANG, PERFECTION HAPPENED JUST AFTER 7AM.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Khao Soi<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Laos is such a laid-back place that I\u2019m sure the most common argument must be over which restaurant has the best\u00a0<em>Khao Soi<\/em>.<br \/>\nYou can immediately see how the Laos version differs from the one\u00a0famous in Thailand\u00a0in that they make it without using\u00a0<em>gati<\/em>\u00a0(coconut milk). Instead of the creamy, slightly sour Northern Thai version, I noticed right away how cleanly I could taste the meat, a warming pork blend of tomatoey spices.<br \/>\nThe minced pork is slow cooked for hours, traditionally over a charcoal fire, the chef turning the meat while mixing in roasted chilis and chili oil as well as herbs that have been crushed using a mortar and pestle.<br \/>\n<strong>Customer Satisfaction Guarantee<br \/>\n<\/strong>I tasted galangal, lemongrass, and the small Laos home-grown sour tomatoes as well. This is a dish that will capture both your eye and your appetite \u2013 Guaranteed customer satisfaction.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:<\/strong>\u00a0The best dish we had was in Luang Prabang, at an unmarked home-restaurant across from the Wat Sene Temple.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18125\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-14-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-14-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-14-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-14.jpg 1070w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A LEGENDARY BOWL OF LUANG PRABANG KHAO SOI<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Tam<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To go a day without eating\u00a0<em>Tam<\/em>\u00a0is almost a challenge in its own right when traveling in Laos. Always paired with sticky rice, this is literally the staple of the Laotian diet.<br \/>\nMade with a variety of fruits, the most common way to have it is with wonderfully crispy shredded green (unripe) papaya, known as\u00a0<em>tam mak hoong<\/em>.<br \/>\nEach ingredient is either pounded, sliced, or shredded, but they are all raw, and go one by one into a massive pestle. The pounding of the mortar, the \u2018Tam\u2019 action, is what gives this dish its name.<br \/>\nTo talk about\u00a0<em>Tam Mak Hoong<\/em>\u00a0as \u2018Papaya salad\u2019 though, won\u2019t quite prepare you for what you\u2019ll get when you order a great version.\u00a0<em>Pa Daek<\/em>, that dearly loved fermented fish sauce addition in nearly every part of Laos local cuisine, shows its presence nowhere more than in this dish.<br \/>\n<em>Mak Hoong<\/em>\u00a0means Papaya, but you can order it with any fruit or vegetable you see around you. Try pointing to something, say the word \u2018Tam,\u2019 (sounds like \u2018Thumb\u2019) and wait to see if the chef starts to reach for another handful of fresh chilis.<br \/>\n<strong>The word \u2018Umami\u2019 was invented to describe this next plate<br \/>\n<\/strong>Using what you see around you would be simply following what Laos people have done for centuries \u2013 trying out anything that grows as something for fermented fish juices and mashed chilis to grab onto, and thoroughly soak with flavor.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18126\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-9-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-9-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-9-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-9-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-9.jpg 1239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>TAM MAK HOONG \u2013 LAOS GREEN PAPAYA SALAD<\/p>\n<p>Another impressive version that will blow your taste buds is\u00a0<em>tam mak kluay<\/em>, a green banana pounded mixture.<br \/>\nIt took me a minute to even begin to put into words the feelings that were coursing through my taste-buds while eating this.<br \/>\nIf you can imagine every flavor center of the tongue being pushed to maximum stimulation, that would be the same feeling it will give you. It was insanely sour, while also fully bitter amidst blazing chili heat, while also just umami in the extreme \u2013 this dish has it all.<br \/>\nThis article gives a\u00a0great briefing\u00a0before any Laos food experience.\u00a0 I was even more appreciative after reading it, and I was definitely hungry!<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:\u00a0<\/strong>Som Tam Luang Prabang in Vientiane<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18127\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-21-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"831\" height=\"554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-21-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-21-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1-21.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>TAM MAK KLUAY \u2013 GREEN BANANA SALAD<\/p>\n<h3><u> Khao Jee Pa-Tay (banh mee)<\/u><\/h3>\n<p>This sandwich clearly displays Laos\u2019 own food heritage blending with that of its French colonial past.<br \/>\nThese massive baguettes are everywhere in Laos, but there\u2019s probably nowhere better to catch the action than the bus station outside the Khua Din morning market in Vientiane. Arguably the quality isn\u2019t the best, but the sheer volume of bread transaction will make your head spin.<br \/>\nIngredients being scooped, smeared, chopped, then literally thrown into these sandwiches, its almost a competition to see who can create the fastest masterpiece.<br \/>\n<strong>Not at all your simple pate-and-bread to eat with wine<br \/>\n<\/strong>The sandwich maker slices the bread lengthwise and then spreads on a thick layer of pate \u2013 rich livery flavor, bit also a sticky surface for all the veggies to grab onto. The pate is a must, without it, it just wouldn\u2019t be right.<br \/>\nNext comes the strips of pork sausage, spears of cucumbers, whole green onions, carrots and pickled turnips, and then usually some pork floss. When your eyes are sufficiently bigger than your stomach, the final touch is complete with a few end-to-end layers of sweet and spicy red sauce.<br \/>\nThe sandwich is cut in half, and most people walk away eating the first half while carrying the second half to-go. A full-option baguette will range from 10,000-20,000 Kip depending on your order, and to-go (smaller) ones can be as cheap as 5,000 LAK at the bus stop.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:<\/strong>\u00a0In Suvannakhet, one of the best sandwiches on earth (opposite from the golden Phonsavanh Bank, its the tallest building in town, and you should order the full option with steak).\u00a0 Also, Khao Gee Mae Sab Restaurant in Vientiane.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18128\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-20-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-20-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-20-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-20.jpg 887w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>SUBWAY WOULD HAVE NO CHANCE AT THE VIENTIENE BUS DEPOT.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Sai Oo-ah<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is one of those Laos foods where you\u2019ll be ordering seconds before you\u2019ve finished your first plate.<br \/>\nWell deserving of a spot on the list of \u201cWorld\u2019s Best Uses of Meat,\u201d it would be worth your time to visit Laos just to try these.<br \/>\nMy mind drifted off as my tongue rejoiced in the fatty goodness and smoky aroma.\u00a0<em>Sai Oo-ah<\/em>\u00a0is the perfect sausage balance of firm, springy, and juicy \u2013 the taste available in a single bite is astounding.<br \/>\nEvery millimeter of this lovely little sausage is packs absolutely incredible flavor. Using a mixture of pork belly, skin, and minced meat, it can also include diced galangal, chopped green onions, cilantro with a ton of dill, and of course a kick from the fresh chili peppers.<br \/>\n<strong>Do yourself a favor, order another one to go<br \/>\n<\/strong>Eat this hot, directly from the grill, and get another two or three in a to-go banana leaf packet.<br \/>\nWhat truly makes\u00a0<em>Sai Oo-ah<\/em>\u00a0stand out from any other sausage around the world, is the massive herb quantity.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to find it<\/strong>: Try it anywhere on the streets of Laos.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18129\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-21-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-21-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/3-21.jpg 997w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>BEFORE I HAD FINISHED MY SECOND BITE, I WAS ALREADY ORDERING A SECOND SAUSAGE.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Naem<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This sun-ripened pork delicacy is a must-find during any morning market stroll when you\u2019re in Laos.<br \/>\nGently 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.<br \/>\nContaining 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.<br \/>\n<strong>Using All That Nature Provides<br \/>\n<\/strong>Cartilage crunching, chewy skin goodness, don\u2019t forget the powerfully hot chili peppers, all smoothed together by your necessary dose of collagen,\u00a0<em>Naem<\/em>\u00a0is yet another example of how Laos cuisine is just full of ideas for how to make the best use of all that nature provides.<br \/>\n<strong>Where to go:\u00a0<\/strong>Food night market next to the walking street in Luang Prabang, look for it on a seller\u2019s table. At the morning market in Luang Prabang you\u2019ll find an excellent version.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18130\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-18-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-18-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-18-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/4-18.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>THE CONTENTS OF A SAUSAGE, MADE INTO A CAKE INSTEAD.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Mok<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u2018Mok\u2019 is the term in Laos for a banana leaf wrap of a near infinite combinations. Typically using either banana or taro leaves, the cooking style is always either steaming, or roasting over coals.<br \/>\nOpening one of these is always exciting when there are so many variations out there to try. Fish, herbs, spices, or even pig brains, are common in a good Mok. And sometimes, if you don\u2019t know all the ingredients, you\u2019ll end up with what I call a \u201cmystery mok.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18131\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-16-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"830\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-16-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-16-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/5-16.jpg 1090w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>UNWRAPPING THESE PACKETS OF MOK, IT BECAME A SORT OF MINI-CHRISTMAS.<br \/>\nMOK NAW MAI, BAMBOO SHOOTS, AT KHMU VILLAGE<\/p>\n<p>Many look similar on the outside, so you might have to pick a few from the grill until you get the one you actually have in mind.\u00a0 Some chefs use a system of toothpick placement, half-toothpicks or full. I say just buy one of everything and guarantee yourself success.<br \/>\nLao style mok goes great with sticky rice. I recommend trying the one with pig brains, called\u00a0<em>Mok Samong<\/em>, or a gooey and warm bamboo salad,\u00a0<em>Mok Naw Mai<\/em>, like the one in the photo below.<br \/>\n<strong>There\u2019s no food fun like a good morning Mystery Mok<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Where to go:<\/strong>\u00a0Grills selling this will pop up anywhere, and its also common at markets like the Phou Si fresh market in Luang Prabang.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18132\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-15-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-15-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-15-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-15-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/6-15.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><strong><u> Soop Pak<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Last but not least, another impressive food on the local menu in Laos is this sour, herb and vegetables filled mix with sesame seeds. You can find many variations of\u00a0<em>soop pak<\/em>, some with string beans, others with spinach like greens, and possibly my favorite, a local version with cashew tree leaves.<br \/>\nThe vegetables are typically blanched, mixed with herbs, and the most necessary ingredient is a huge amount of sesame seeds to wrap it all together and give it its unique nutty taste.<br \/>\n<strong>Not \u2018soup,\u2019 but \u2018soop!\u2019<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Where to go:<\/strong>\u00a0<em>Soop pak<\/em>\u00a0is common at Laotian food stalls selling a variety of different stews and\u00a0<em>jaew<\/em>. Ask them for\u00a0<em>soop pak<\/em>, and they will surely have some variation of it. Find it at the\u00a0night market just off the walking street\u00a0in historical Luang Prabang.<br \/>\n<strong>Conclusion<br \/>\n<\/strong>Let me tell you clearly, this is by all means not an exhaustive list of Lao food; This is just the beginning of the amazing world of dishes you can eat in Laos.<br \/>\nWhat stands out to me, just about more than anything, is the way Laotian food makes extreme use of fresh natural herbs, and when it comes to protein, doesn\u2019t shy away from eating nose to tail \u2013 everything from bile to rumen.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-18133\" src=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-10-255x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-10-255x170.jpg 255w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-10-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-10-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/7-10.jpg 1275w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>SOOP PAK, A MUST EAT VIBRANT LAOS VEGETABLE DISH<\/p>\n<p>Keep enjoying and exploring the glorious cuisine of Laos!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Laap Translated on most menus as simply a \u2018meat salad,\u2019 and also spelled in English commonly as larb or laab (laab or laap would be the most phonetically accurate), laap is one of the ultimate staple Laos foods, a heavyweight. The word\u00a0Laap\u00a0actually refers to any meat prepared immediately after butchering. Always fresh, often eaten raw, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[152],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-laos-food"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Laos Food - ATT Travel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/laos-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"vi_VN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Laos Food - ATT Travel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Laap Translated on most menus as simply a \u2018meat salad,\u2019 and also spelled in English commonly as larb or laab (laab or laap would be the most phonetically accurate), laap is one of the ultimate staple Laos foods, a heavyweight. 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