My Lao Kitchen // Lao Salad and Fried Vegetables

If i've learned anything this year it certainly wasn't how to cook Lao food. Getting people to cook for you here is easy, but getting them to actually teach you.. not so much. Fortunately, I finally found someone who would. And so I put my best indirect communications skills to work and my co-teacher agreed to show my roommate and I how to make some easy Lao recipes.

First up Lao Salad. With the weather being extra hot these past few months I have been craving fresh fruits and vegetables so Lao Salad was a perfect choice. 

Lao Salad & Dressing

Salad ingredients:

lettuce

watercress

green onions 

2-3 tomatoes

4-5 boiled egg whites

1/8 crushed peanuts

*many Lao salads also include cucumber, but I have a strong dislike for cucumbers. So if you are a cucumber person I first of all don't understand how you can eat those nasty things and second feel free to add them to your salad* 

Dressing ingredients:

4-5 boiled egg yolks

approx. 1/4 cup of sugar

2 Tbs oil

2-3 Tbs mayonnaise

3 limes

Directions: First boil about 4-5 eggs. Meanwhile, wash and throw your greens into a large bowl

 

Once your eggs are boiled slice them in half and separate the whites from the yolk. Then slice up the whites into smaller strips and toss them in with the greens. Top the salad with tomatoes and the crushed peanuts.

Next make the dressing. (or make while your eggs are still boiling) My co-teacher said the dressing was to sour and needed more sugar, but I thought it was fine just the way it was. So you might want to add more sugar when you make it; most of my measurements are approximate anyway.

In a bowl mash the egg yolks and mix in the sugar and oil. Add the the mayonnaise, and finally squeeze in some lime juice. Stir until the mixture is thick but liquidy. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and you're ready to serve. Easy Peasy. 

Along with our Lao salad we had fried vegetables and chicken. The best thing about this dish is you can really make it however you want to. I've had this same dish with completely different vegetables and pork instead of chicken, so it is really up to you. Just pick out your favorite veggies; we had carrots, green peppers, mushrooms, red onions, and miniature corn on the cob. Then pick a meat. 

Directions: Start by cooking the meat. We had a sort of chicken meatball thing that was already cooked so we just had to heat it back up. Though not bad, I think next time I will make it with just regular grilled chicken.

Next add your veggies as well as 2 tbs of oyster sauce (again I repeat all my measurements are approximate so just kind of eyeball if you think you need more or less). Then add in about a tablespoon of pork seasoning.

The pork seasoning comes in packets that look like this! Though I doubt you will find this exact one in your local grocery store, I am sure they have similar stir fry seasoning in the Asian food isles that will be just as good. 

Serve the vegetables with steamed rice, a side of Lao salad, and enjoy!