Lao Cooking Classes
Lao food is delicious! We love the richness and diversity of Lao ingredients, food and cultures and want to share them with the world. The industrialized world has a lot to learn from Laos about food. The recent term “slow food” is what Lao food is all about – food locally and sustainably produced, fresh, with preparation not being a resented chore of tin opening, thawing and premixes, but a daily part of the rhythm of life, to be enjoyed and shared.
In Laos, the local fresh markets and forest provide an abundance of local produce, harvested or gathered the same day. No huge but tasteless Vegetables in plastic packs here – everything is picked small – a stunning variety of natural “micro greens” and eaten or sold the same day. What‟s a refrigerator for? If you are lucky enough to have one, it is used to cool drinks, of course, not to store food or ingredients – Lao want fresh! Really, really fresh! The various ethnic groups of Lao have never had to discover „slow food‟ or „micro-greens‟ because they have always had it, and many don‟t realize how truly rich they are with such a vibrant food tradition.
Sticky Rice “Kao Niaow”
Sticky rice is the main meal in Laos, Lao people eat sticky rice every day and every meal in a day. It‟s easy to prepare and fun to eat. Called sticky rice as after cooked it sticks together, when eating it can be made a little ball to pick up morsels of food or dip into chilies sauce and many other traditional tasty Lao dishes. Known and labeled as „glutinous rice‟ but it is in fact gluten free.
How do Lao people eat Sticky Rice?
People use their fingers (wash your hands) for eating sticky rice. Knead a bite-sized ball of sticky rice till it sticks together but not to your hands! With your thump, grasp morsels of food to sticky rice ball. If the food is spicy, just touch it with sticky rice ball to give it flavor. Most Lao dishes are shared with everybody in a family on a Lao traditional bamboo tray so it‟s considered bad manners not to leave grain of rice in the foods especially with soup because Lao people also use spoon with soup! When dipping the rice into communal foods, use only 3-4 fingers. No double dipping and no finger licking! Either left or right hand is okay.
Luang Prabang:
1. The Bamboo Experience
2. Tamarind
3. Bamboo Tree
4. Khua Mor Din
Vientiane:
1. Madam Phasouk
Oudomxay:
1. NamKat YorlaPa
Pakbeng:
1. Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge
VangVieng:
1. Organic Farm
Looking for the next cooking in Laos? For more information, send your inquiry to hello@wander-laos.com
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