Category Archives: Thai/Lao food

Posts related to Thai/Lao food.

Cha plu leaves and a simple Thai chicken and mushroom curry

Posted on April 15, 2015 by David Dettmann

Cha plu leaves are another ingredient we are lucky to have available to us at Southeast Asian markets of North and South Philadelphia. It is a mild flavored leaf that is well-suited for making wraps, as it is generally enjoyed … Continue reading →

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Sticky rice, a food staple and a key ingredient in Lao-Thai cooking

Posted on February 7, 2015 by David Dettmann

“Sticky rice? I love sticky rice… I mean, how else can you eat rice with chopsticks?” I often get this kind of response when I bring up eating “sticky rice”. I quickly see that the person I’m talking to is … Continue reading →

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More khrok fun: fermented fish and a spicy Isaan dip

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David Dettmann

My adventures with my granite mortar and pestle (Thai: khrok ครก) continue with a spiced fermented fish dip common in Northeastern Thailand: jaew bong แจ่วบอง Funky-smelling fermented fishes have already made appearances in previous blog posts focused on Cambodian flavors: … Continue reading →

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Thai basil and green curry with chicken

Posted on January 18, 2015 by David Dettmann

I have been spending a lot more time with my mortar and pestle, and I am getting better at pounding pastes. Today I had some Thai basil (aka sweet basil, or horapha/holapha โหระพา) and a kaffir lime from our tree … Continue reading →

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Thai fermented soy beans and sweet coconut and pork dip

Posted on January 1, 2015 by David Dettmann

Lon หลน is a genre of Thai meat dips that accompany raw vegetables and fried or roasted fish. It is different from other Thai dips (like the more discussed nam phrik น้ำพริก varieties) in that it uses coconut cream as … Continue reading →

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Tamarind pods, sweet and sour, and a sour soup with green papaya and salmon

Posted on December 14, 2014 by David Dettmann

Tamarind (or tamr hind “Indian date”–in other words, long cultivated throughout South Asia) is a key souring agent used in Southeast Asian cooking. I touched on this ingredient briefly in a prior post on Three essential Cambodian flavors. In that … Continue reading →

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“Vietnamese mint” and a Northern Thai “soupy salad” with chicken

Posted on December 13, 2014 by David Dettmann

In most Southeast Asian markets in Philly (i.e. Cambodian, Vietnamese markets of North and South Philly, as well as the 3 large markets on Washington Ave) you can find the very tasty herb pictured below. It has a very unique … Continue reading →

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Deep-fried Thai snakeskin gourami

Posted on December 8, 2014 by David Dettmann

Snakeskin gourami found! I puzzled over this fish during a recent browse through the freezer section of my local Cambodian market. It was labeled “Marinated gourami”. I wasn’t sure if that meant it was fermented or what. I am pleased … Continue reading →

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Green papaya and papaya salads

Posted on December 7, 2014 by David Dettmann

A regular meal at our house is green papaya salad, usually eaten together with roasted meats, lettuce, pork skin, and sticky rice. In Thai it is known as somtam (literally “pounded sour”).  In Isaan and Laos it is known as … Continue reading →

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Ivy gourd leaves and a simple clear soup

Posted on December 6, 2014 by David Dettmann

In Southeast Asian cooking traditions of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, a wide variety of leaves, vines, and flowers are used for cooking that are little known for culinary purposes elsewhere.  Ivy gourd leaves are one such delicious variety of edible … Continue reading →

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