Lao Recipes


Ingredients 400 grams beef sirloin, sliced into pieces measuring 2 cm by 3 cm and 3 mm thick, salted and marinated for two hours in the juice of 6 limes 3 stalks lemon grass 2 (small) heads garlic 7 (small) shallots 3 dried chilli peppers galingale (3 to 5 slices) The above five ingredients should be sliced into small pieces and mixed together - the result is called kheuang hom - "fragrant spices/herbs;" [hom means 'to smell nice'; kheuang means 'ingredients'.] liver spleen heart tripe The above four ingredients are to be boiled in the meat broth, sliced into small pieces and set aside on a plate 1 small bowl (1/4 pint) or padek* salt spring onion leaves fresh coriander Kaffir lime leaves The above ingredients should be finely sliced or chopped Method Put the kheuang hom into a bowl and add salt. Squeeze out the liquid from the marinated beef, and set the liquid to cook on a low heat. Mix the pieces of beef with the kheuang hom. Add the or padek little by little, mixing the ingredients continuously as you do so. Mix in also half the sliced offal, the reduced liquid from the beef, the spring onions and the Kaffir lime leaves. Mix well. Taste and check the saltiness. Place the mixture on a servingplate and garnish it with the remaining sliced offal and the coriander. Serve with Keng am Duk Ngua. * Editor's Note. Or padek is produced by cooking padek until it is almost dry; then adding water and bringing back to the boil; and then straining out any remaining fish bones. The result is a sauce which is used for adding flavour, as in this recipe.