Google

Thai & Lao Food

A Thai / Laos girl, Manivan Larprom shows you how to cook Thai & Lao food through her videos. Her authentic cuisine roots from Sakon Nakhon, Thailand and Paksan, Laos. Enjoy!

Monday, March 20, 2006

Green Papaya Salad

The most popular salad dishes is the Green Papaya salad. I like it spicy--5 chilies at least! On the first bite your tongue should experience extreme heat, salt, sour and sweet all at once. It is invigrating! If its too spicy chew on water lily greens

To make green papaya noodle salad: Double the amount of fish sauce, shrimp paste, lime, sugar and dried shrimp in the mortar. Dish the green papaya salad into a bowl and toss with sin khao bune (rice noodle) before serving. Watch the video of the long bean noodle salad recipe to see how to incorporate the rice noodles.

Salad Recipe: Green Papaya Salad1-4 chilies
1 garlic cloves
3 cups shredded green papaya (watch video: Shredding Green Papaya)
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
3 tablespoons squeezed lime
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)

Using the Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set, crush chilies and garlic until they are separated. Add the rest of the ingredients in the mortar. Using the pestle to crush and a tablespoon to stir, mix all the ingredients in the mortar. When the sugar and shrimp paste are dissolved the papaya salad is ready to be served.

The Thai & Lao Food video shows the traditional method. Some Thai / Lao restaurants toss all the ingredients into a large bowl. In my opinion, for an authentic texture, the tomatoes need to be crushed in a Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set.



Labels: , , ,

Shredding Green Papaya

A Green Papaya Salad tastes better when the papaya is shredded the traditional way...using a knife only. Use this method also to shred green mangos for the green mango salad.

Above the page, do a Google search for "papaya shredder" if you would like to purchase a papaya shredder in order to save time and possibly your fingers.

This Thai & Lao Food video will show you the traditional way. All you need is a knife and good hand-eye coordination.

In my opinion, if a Thai / Lao restaurant serves me a Green Papaya Salad that is uniformly shredded, then it means that the restaurant is using a papaya shredder. Therefore, the restaurant cannot be serving authentic Thai / Lao food.


Labels:

Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set


Here is a picture of my Mortar and Pestle set.

Every Thai and Lao home has a mortar and pestle set. The mortar and pestle set is essential for creating the authentic taste and texture of the Thai / Lao dishes like:
Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce,
Roasted Tomato Chili Sauce,
Green Papaya Salad,
Thai Lao Curry Paste,
Ground Toasted Sticky Rice,
Crushed Toasted Peanuts
Long Bean Noodle Salad
Eggplant Chili Sauce

Do a Google search up above for "Thai Laos mortar pestle". Do not pay any more than $20 for a set.

The mortar should be made from clay. It is handcrafted and often feels rough in the interior and exterior. Make sure the mortar is large enough to hold at least 4 to 6 cups of water. Any smaller would be impossible to make a papaya salad.

The pestle should be made from wood. During use, the pestle will naturally mold to fit the interior base of the mortar.

DO NOT waste your money by purchasing a fancy looking mortar and pestle unless they meet the above requirements.




Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce

This Classic Thai / Lao Hot sauce tastes best when it is dipped with Thai Lao sticky rice or barbecue meat. You can also pour the Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce over khao chow which is jasmine rice. For a gourmet version of this sauce, check out the roasted tomato chili sauce and the eggplant chili sauce.

Dipping Sauce: Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce
1 garlic clove
1 Red Chili
1 Green Chili
1 tablespoon Squeezed Lime
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce

Using the Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set, crush the garlic and chilies until they are in small pieces. Add squeezed lime and fish sauce and mix. Pour the classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce into a small dipping bowl for serving.


Labels: ,

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Welcome to Thai & Lao Food blog

Welcome to my Thai & Laos Food blog. I will instruct you on how to cook Thai and Lao dishes and give you traditional techniques that are used in Thailand and Laos.

My name is Manivan Larprom and I am part Thai and Lao. The reason for my blog is to preserve the authenticity of the Thai and Lao food. Generations evolve very quickly in North America so I want to preserve my Thai / Lao traditions. The root of my cuisine comes from northern Thailand and Laos.

I am a self-proclaimed Thai / Lao food critic. Why not? I was trained by a world renowned chef...my daddy!

Click on the "Make a Donation" button and place a donation to the development of my blog. I wish I could poste recipes everyday but financially, I must keep my day job. I can only devote my spare time into the development of this blog.

If it is not spicy, it is neither Thai nor Lao! Enjoy!

Manivan Larprom
larprom@hotmail.com

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com