Laos--"Best Dinner Ever!"

Laotian Or Lam Stew over rice with fresh veggies and Mango dessert

Country number 47, Laos, officially called The Lao People's Democratic Republic.  I learned that a typical Laotian meal can consist of a stew type dish, fresh veggies, soup, and a grilled dish.  I chose to make Or Lam (a stew), because it sounded like I could adapt the recipe and let it cook in the crockpot while I headed off to work.
I decided to serve Belgian endive and other assorted fresh vegetables as a side dish. I chose endive because of its slight bitter quality.  I read that in Laos they prize bitter foods for health. For dessert I prepared a simple dish of sweetened sticky rice with sliced mangoes.

My in-laws joined us in our Laotian experience.  My son who normally picks at his dinner like a bird, exclaimed, "Best dinner ever!"  after he tried the Or Lam.  Maybe he was just excited to have Grandma and Grandpa over but he did eat everything on his plate.

Or Lam
The original recipe that I found at Traditional Recipes of Laos was written by the Royal Cook of the Royal Palace at Luang Prabang in the late 1800s.  The stew which he called, Or Lam Sin Kuay, was made from the meat and skin of water buffalo.  The recipes states that there are many ways to make Or Lam and it can include many different types of vegetables and mushrooms.

This is my version.

1 lb. lean beef stew meat thinly sliced
2 shallots chopped
1 inch piece ginger root chopped
1 inch piece galangal root chopped
3 pieces of lemon grass stalk
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 cup shiitake mushroom tops sliced
6 cups water- more if needed
salt
pepper
1 T fish sauce
1 eggplant sliced
2 scallions
2 hot chili peppers, seeded and chopped
1 bunch basil chopped
fresh dill chopped
1 T cornstarch (optional)
Juice from 1/2 of a lime

Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Brown beef.  Add shallots, garlic, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium until fragrant.  Add water, shiitake mushrooms and fish sauce.  Bring to a boil then add eggplant slices.  At this point I had to rush to work so I threw everything in the crockpot, but it could also be kept on the stove and simmered for about an hour, or until the beef and eggplant are tender.  Remove eggplant and put in the bowl of a food processor.  Mix until thoroughly processed.  Return to eggplant to the stew.  Continue to simmer until liquid is reduced and sauce thickens.  If it is not thick enough, add 1 T cornstarch mixed with 1 T cold water and bring to boil again.  Add basil, dill, lime juice, and scallions.  Serve over hot rice.

Mango Rice Dessert

1 1/2 cups cooked short grain rice (the stickier the better)
3/4 -1 cup coconut milk- not light
2-3 ripe mangoes
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Put coconut milk in pan over low heat.  Add sugar and salt.  When sugar is dissolved add cooked rice.  Simmer over low heat until liquid is mostly absorbed.  Add cinnamon.  Peel and thinly slice mangoes.  Fill a small dessert cup or ramekin with hot rice and lay a few slices of mango on top.


Kathy