Larb Gai - Laotian Spicy Chicken Mix

Larb Gai with lettuce and cucumber

I apologize as I waited so long to post this easy recipe!

As a favorite traditional food as many birthday parties and get togethers, this dish is an easy fix. It takes longer to prep than anything but it well worth the effort once its complete. This version is a chicken version as there are many version from beef to pork just adding and mixing according to the likes and dislikes of individuals.

Tradition has it with many different innards from the animals sliced / diced up small and mixed with basic Larb ingredients, so depending on availability you can create it with just the basic ground of your preferred meat.

For my chicken larb recipe, I prefer the different textures from gizzards, liver and skin of the chicken in addition to the ground chicken.

You will need the following (as for this and other recipes amounts are not specific as dishes are usually mixed then adjusted as individual taste differs):

thinly sliced kaffir leaves

meat:
1 pkg of ground chicken or turkey
1 pkg of chicken thighs
1 container / pkg of chicken livers
1 container / pkg of chicken gizzards

herbs:
mint
green onion (scallions)
chili peppers
cilantro(coriander)
kaffir lime leaves (optional)
lemon grass  (optional)

Thinly sliced lemon grass

spices:
fish sauce (2 tbsp)
chicken broth (powder mix)
roasted rice powder (1 tsp) (instructions below)
dried pepper (optional for added spice)
lime juice (1-2 limes depending on flavor)


 How to make roasted rice powder:

In a skillet with low flame, mix rice slowly as the rice is roasted. Keep in mind not to mix too much in the beginning to allow it to turn brown color. Once the pan is hot the rice will roast quicker, then you would mix more. Do not burn rice but do not disregard if there is a little burning. Rice powder can be gray (from the charcoaled / over burned rice) or light brown. Once the rice is cooled either pound in a mortar or blend in a blender until it is a fine powder. This can also be bought in a local asian grocery store.



Prepare the meat by cooking the ground meat in a skillet then draining. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and place in boiling water to cook it thoroughly, then cut and thinly slice into small strips. Boil liver and gizzards, separately as liver will cook quicker. Do not over cook liver as it will get tough. Once gizzards are cooked slice into small thin pieces and do the same with the livers putting each ingredient in small bowls to be mixed later.

Prepare the herbs, this can be done while the meats are cooking. Thinly slice all the herbs, except the cilantro (coriander) can be chopped. Mix all together in a bowl for later except for the chili peppers, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves to be in separated bowls.

Once you have all your ingredients, in a big mixing bowl put in the ground chicken, gizzards, sliced skin leaving out the livers as it will be added last. Add the spices, sliced chili peppers and lime juice. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Taste and adjust the flavor now. You should taste all the spices harmoniously with a bit of tang from the lime. If it is not slightly tangy add more lime juice. It should not taste plain, if so add more fish sauce and chicken broth powder. I tend to make it slightly salty as the herbs will change the taste. Once the taste is to your liking fold in the liver and the herbs.Adding the herbs will give it a different taste, fresher taste. Voila!

This can be served with lettuce and cucumber with jasmine rice.

Bon apetit!

Bay Nan

Pineapple Sauce for Daht Seen - Laotian Hibachi

Just this past weekend we had a few friends over for what we call "Daht Seen" in Lao. It's basically a griddle or skillet set up in the middle of a dining table covered in an oil then a variety of foods are thrown on to cook while everyone around grabs their chop sticks reaching for different foods to dip in different sauces.

There are many ways to eat in this fashion. Some people will cook their food then make either lettuce wraps or clear Vietnamese summer rolls. Some people prefer to just go from the griddle to the sauce and be done with it. Preference is up to you.

A very popular sauce being used now is a pineapple based sauce that my friend asked the recipe for. It's very easy and can be done with a blender.

1 can of pineapple - any (crushed, chunks, whole rings)
few slices of ginger - julienne (just to make it easier for the blender to process for slight hint of flavor)
2-3 garlic cloves - (this can also be sliced up)
2 thai chilli peppers - start small (with 1/2 of pepper) and build up to desired heat. Easier to add than to take away.
2 tbsp of fish sauce
1 tbsp of chicken broth granuals for flavor

Once you blend it thouroughly taste and adjust as needed. You do not want a sweet sauce but a savory slightly spicy sauce. If it is too spicy, salty or strong in the other flavors just add more pineapple.

Add a few stems of corriander (leaving out most of the stems) and blend. Serve in small bowls for dipping.

This sauce can also be a dipping sauce for steak. My friend even suggested it may be used as a salad dressing. Have fun experimenting with it and let me know how many different ways you use this sauce!

-Bay N.

Mok Bha - Lao Style Spicy Steamed Fish Recipe

Mok Bha Duke (Spicy Steam Catfish) Nuggets (diced herbs)

One of my favorite traditional Lao food is Mok Bha. Basically it is steamed fish. What makes this dish amazing is the aroma from the different herbs and spices that are added for the unique flavor. As with any dish everyone makes their own dish differently. I was told the basic ingredients from my mother with a few changes according to how my family eats. As with home cooking and traditional Lao food there are no measurements. You add a little until you feel its right. I apologize ahead for the lack of exact measurement but usually is a few pinches here and there! Try it experiment and if its too salty ... eat more rice!


This recipe can be used with any fish that you like but the most popular fish used is the catfish. To make my life a little easier I buy catfish nuggets from the local grocery store. Feel free to use any fish and feel free to just cut up the fish with the bone in.

This dish is usually eaten with rice, let it be jasmine or sweet (sticky) rice. It also includes a type of rue but in Lao tradition what they do is soak sweet rice until it is so soft that it crumbles when touched. It is taken out of the water and placed in a mortar and pounded until its paste like. This will create the gravy. When this is unavailable flour can be used but it will not be as thick as using the rice, but just as delicious.


Basic Ingredients include:

Fish
lemongrass stalk
lime leaves / kaffir leaves
fresh dill
fresh green onion / or shallots or 1/4 of medium onion
chili peppers
fish sauce
msg
chicken broth powder
shrimp paste
salt
flour / rice mixture (paste)



You can chop or slice up all the herbs or you can leave them in chunks. All the ingredients are edible but some people prefer not to eat the lemongrass or kaffir leaves. If you leave them in large pieces it is easier to eat around.

The lemon grass and kaffir leaves give this dish the distint aroma and flavor but it can be left out if you prefer. The MSG is a flavor enhancer and can also be left out as the chicken broth is used to enhance the flavor also. The shrimp paste can be replaced with badaek or fermented fish or it can be left out altogether.

Mok Bha Duke (Spicy Steam Catfish) Strips (chopped and whole herbs)

You basically chop up the herbs and peppers and mix everything in a mixing bowl. Place it in foil and steam. Using an asian soup spoon, one of each is a good amount of each of the ingredient being careful not to over salt (maybe just a pinch) since you are using fish sauce and chicken broth. Wrap it in foil closing it at the top and do it twice. The fish will cook and keep in mind the juices may leak out so be careful when wrapping.

I steam usually for 30 minutes or so making sure the fish is cooked. It should never be dry from not only the fish sauce but its own juices also.

This can be stored in the freezer or in the fridge to be enjoyed another day. Sometimes its even better the next day. Enjoy with jasmine or sweet rice.

Any questions please comment!!

Have fun cooking!

Bay Nan

Laos Food - Cooking at Home

Jasmine Rice with Khmer sausages & jewl mak len

Lately I haven't done a restaurant review since we haven't eaten at any new restaurants in so long. I've been cooking a lot of traditional food at home.



My family is from Laos. A small land lock country in southeast Asia. Most of the foods are similar to Thai food with a different flare if you will. It has a harsher taste and smell due to the access of certain foods. Its a poorer country with less luxuries as we have here in the states. With many of us coming to the US as small children and growing up mainly speaking English and eating McDonalds we tend to lose our culture and the way food was cooked back in the old country.

grilled chicken wings, mango spicy salad, Lao style eggs

With the help of the internet and youtube.com  we have resources to help us cook good old fashion Lao food. Some foods are taught from our moms and gmas so from my family to my friends and family online I will try to share some simple recipes for some of my favorite stinky Lao food that I post up on instagram from time to time. Feel free to ask for any recipes for anything you see on my instagram page.

instagram : BayBayNan916

Until then enjoy the reviews and recipes...Bay Nan - FGC

Sour bamboo soup with chicken, sour bamboo jewl, stir frys and Lao traditional sausage

ramen noodles (mi mama) with fish cakes, pork cake, beef and herbs

grilled seasoned duck head with pork nam and papaya salad

Spicy noodle salad, stir fried beef in oyster sauce, stir fried chicken gizzards with cabbage

sour chicken soup, larb gai, tomato jewl, mok bha (steamed catfish)

Bangkok Restaurant - never changes...

Bangkok Restaurant - Columbus OH

phad kanar moo karb

Yesterday, after a busy early morning with my husband and son, we decided to go to a local favorite for authentic Thai food along with Chinese food made to order. Bangkok has been a favorite in our family even with the kids. That's a plus for us since our children are such picky eaters. They have such a variety and unlike other Asian restaurants, the taste of the food doesn't change. If you've had their food, you grow to love the taste of the food and if you return, it will stimulate your brain as if it's the first time you're having it again.

baby spring rolls / fried chicken

SERVICE:  It may be favoritism since I know the workers there but as busy as it may get, they are very friendly and as fast as they can be with service. Always walking offering water and checking in with us if we need anything for our meal. They are happy to help and provide. At time when visiting restaurants I get a feel that we are overstaying but not here. In addition we never feel like we are unwanted customers. Always good service and attention the same as other customers at lunch or at dinner.

shrimp chips

FOOD: The food taste consistent so you get what you expect and if you are trying new food they can adjust the heat (spiciness) according to your own preference. The food is delicious and authentic, very close to home. I have never tried the Chinese dishes because I tend to only order according to the specialties in which restaurants are categorized. (steak from steakhouse, seafood from seafood restaurants, sushi from sushi restaurants, etc.) They have specialty drinks from my favorite Thai ice coffee and Thai tea along with a selection of bubble teas. I don't prefer the bubble tea here for its a little on the sweet side. This is in addition to the sodas and water.

PRICES/PORTIONS: The prices depend on which time of day you visit. I believe they have lunch specials for smaller portions. They are usual prices for the food and the portions do feed the family. We tend to order multiple dishes to share and we always pack home for later. We split some of the dishes among the kids to share and the older kids get their own so we always go home happy and full.The drinks are a little pricy but then you are at a restaurant. You can get a dish for about $5 - $9 depending on what it is. 

ATMOSPHERE: There are plenty of Thai decorations around and they always have Thai karaoke music videos playing in the background on a flat screen TV for your viewing pleasure. It is not a big restaurant with about 10 booths and tables in the middle. 

yum seafood

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:  We continue to go back for the food and the nice "home" feeling. I have a rule I use with eating at international cuisine restaurants, if the people of that culture eats there, it must be authentic and good. There are always a crowd of Thai and Lao people eating there with my family included. It's a treat and being there at lunch is just as good as dinner with less of a crowd, but still a crowd all the same. Good service and good food is always a plus with us. It will keep you craving! For safe picks, the Phad Thai and Lad Na is always a choice. Phad Ke Mao is spicy good, but rice dishes are my favorite from ordering soups, Phad Ka Na Moo Korp (fried pork with Chinese brocolli), and Red Curries. Try one then try them all.

- GOOD EATS = FULL STOMACHS - Bay Nan