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190<br />
LAOS IN DEPTH<br />
9<br />
EATING & DRINKING IN LAOS<br />
RECOMMENDED FILMS<br />
<strong>Laos</strong> has not appeared too much on the<br />
big screen or indeed the small one. In<br />
2008, Good Morning, Luang Prabang was<br />
released to critical acclaim. It was the<br />
nation’s first privately funded movie, a love<br />
story between a Thai photographer and a<br />
Lao tour guide. <strong>The</strong> Most Secret Place on<br />
Earth is a documentary by filmmakers<br />
Marc Eberle and Tom Vater, uncovering<br />
As with so much in <strong>Laos</strong>, it comes as no<br />
surprise that the food is closely affiliated to<br />
that <strong>of</strong> Thailand. It is, however, a lot more<br />
basic and lacks the huge variety <strong>of</strong> Thai<br />
cuisine. <strong>The</strong> basic ingredients are the<br />
same, with lots <strong>of</strong> lemon grass, coriander,<br />
basil, galangal, and, <strong>of</strong> course, the very<br />
pungent fish sauce. Like Thai food, it is<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten lemony and tangy, using fresh ingredients<br />
swiftly prepared.<br />
<strong>The</strong> staple for lowland Lao is sticky<br />
rice, though many highland groups don’t<br />
eat it at all. In fact, <strong>Laos</strong> boasts more than<br />
3,000 traditional rice varieties, with colors<br />
ranging from black and purple to red and<br />
brown. It is eaten steamed or boiled, with<br />
a wide range <strong>of</strong> meats, vegetables, poultry,<br />
and fish, all well spiced and flavored. Lao<br />
cooking uses an astounding array <strong>of</strong> flavorings<br />
including garlic, chilies, tamarind,<br />
sugar, lime juice, and fermented fish sauce.<br />
Fresh salads, native sausages, and noodles<br />
are other common ingredients. Most food<br />
is dry and spicy, and <strong>of</strong>ten watered down<br />
with fruit juices, beer, or plain water. Grilling,<br />
boiling, stewing, and steaming all<br />
come into play in a Lao kitchen. Stir-frying<br />
is now also very common, but actually<br />
considered to be a Chinese influence.<br />
Stews are <strong>of</strong>ten green because <strong>of</strong> the many<br />
fresh vegetables used. Soups you will<br />
encounter include tom cheut, keng, and<br />
keng soua. Keng is characterized by ginger<br />
and padek, and keng soua is keng that con-<br />
the history <strong>of</strong> covert American involvement<br />
in <strong>Laos</strong> during the ’60s. <strong>The</strong> film<br />
interviews key players <strong>of</strong> the secret war<br />
including former CIA agents, American<br />
pilots, Lao fighters, and war reporters taking<br />
the viewer on a journey into the<br />
physical heart <strong>of</strong> the conflict. Information<br />
on this film can be found on the filmmaker’s<br />
website, www.tomvater.com<br />
7 EATING & DRINKING IN LAOS<br />
tains both galangal and ginger. Tom cheut<br />
is a mild soup with t<strong>of</strong>u and no spices.<br />
Ping is grilled food, be that chicken,<br />
pork, or field rat (everything that is healthy<br />
and edible in the rice field will eventually<br />
go into the pot). Laab is a spicy salad that<br />
is very popular. You will also find restaurants<br />
serving the “cook-it-yourself” steam<br />
boat and grill. A fire is lit under a large<br />
metal grill, surrounded by a trough at the<br />
side for boiling vegetables and noodles.<br />
Since <strong>Laos</strong> is landlocked, it will come as<br />
no surprise that fish tends to be freshwater.<br />
You will also find a lot <strong>of</strong> Vietnamese food<br />
and Chinese food. Pho (pronounced “fur”)<br />
is the ubiquitous Vietnamese noodle soup.<br />
It contains pork or beef, plenty <strong>of</strong> fresh<br />
vegetables, and fragrant fresh mint.<br />
As with elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the<br />
French influence remains. Fresh baguette<br />
(khao ji), strong filtered c<strong>of</strong>fee, and pâté<br />
sandwiches (khao ji pâté) are all available<br />
on the street. <strong>Laos</strong> is also a major c<strong>of</strong>fee<br />
producer, so if caffeine is your thing you<br />
are in for a treat. Ask for “kah-fe Lao” to<br />
make sure you don’t get served a cup <strong>of</strong><br />
instant granules rather than the real thing.<br />
Both Vientiane and Luang Prabang boast<br />
superb French restaurants with authentic<br />
Gallic fare and great wine. Both places are<br />
a gourmet treat and have gotten better over<br />
the years as competition has forced up<br />
quality. <strong>The</strong> food in both towns is worldbeating<br />
in terms <strong>of</strong> both quality and price.