Also spelled Tam Mak Hoong, this dish is made of shredded unripe papaya mixed with sugar, salt, chilies or chili powder and and lime or lime juice. Lao style is purported to be six or seven chilies. Sounds like the perfect appetizer to go with a glass of Beerlao Lager.
2. Larb
Answer: Meat Salad Appetizer
You may have found this in your local Thai restaurant, as it is very popular cuisine in Laos' neighbor as well. It is considered the national dish of Laos. Also known as laap, lab, or larp, with several variations on those names, this is a mix of either raw or cooked meat, rice, lime, chili, mint and optional vegetables.
3. Sindad
Answer: Lao Barbecue
Also spelled as Sin Dad, this specialty item is cooked on a special grilling plate which is first rubbed well with a slab of fat, then the meat is added. The meat is usually chicken or pork.
4. Khao Jee
Answer: Baguettes
Why does this seem to be more a French treat than Laotian? Because from 1893 to 1954, Laos was part of colonial French Indochina. As such, French cuisine was an active part of the diet, blended in with local food items. Typically these are hawked by street vendors, and will be filled with a variety of meats and/or vegetables.
5. Khao Niaw
Answer: Sticky Rice
When you think of Asian food, you usually think of rice. This dish is traditionally rolled into small pieces, and served for breakfast, lunch and dinner with other foods and sauces. It is so much a part of Laotian cuisine that the Lao people refer to themselves as "Luk Khao Niaw" - "The Children of Sticky Rice"!
6. Or Lam
Answer: Spicy Stew
Traditionally, this was made with buffalo, but is now usually cooked with beef. It is simmered with eggplant, black mushrooms, chilies, onion, and cilantro, with additional ingredients as desired, until it becomes a thick stew.
7. Sien Savanh
Answer: Jerky
Yep, jerky! Traditionally, it had been dried water buffalo meat, but more recently it is usually made from beef flank. The meat is marinated in several herbs and spices, including ginger, sugar, soy, pepper and garlic. After it has dried in the sun for a day, it is deep fried. It can just be eaten as a snack, or served with sticky rice and sauce as a meal in itself. A nice cold Beerlao is also a nice companion.
8. Sai Oua
Answer: Lao Sausage
This "fast food" is a combination of fatty pork mixed with ginger, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce, salt, cilantro, onions, and lemongrass. There is a variation which adds cooked sticky rice, and the sausage is left to "sour" at room temperature. Since this process can take a couple of days, this version isn't quite "fast food".
9. Khao Pun
Answer: Rice Noodle Soup
This tasty dish combines fish, chicken or pork, and garlic, ginger, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves with coconut milk. The resulting sweet and spicy coconut sauce is poured over rice noodles, and is topped with a choice of fresh herbs and vegetables.
10. Beerlao
Answer: Laotian Beer
Beerlao is the generic term for several varieties of beer produced by the Lao Brewery headquartered in Vientiane. Now part of the Carlsberg family, the Lao Brewery is known for good beers brewed from high quality European malts and the best local rice.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
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