Kaipen is a traditional snack originating from the historic city of Luang Prabang. It is made from algae found in the rivers on hot summer days. This healthy specialty is similar to the Japanese nori, but with a more intense flavor profile.
The process of making kaipen involves washing and sun-drying the river algae, pressing them into thin sheets and adding scallions, galangal, garlic, and tomatoes on top. The sheets are then sprinkled with sesame seeds and flash-fried to make them crispy.
MOST ICONIC Kaipen
Seen hang is a Laotian style of beef jerky made from a lean cut of eye round, loin, or sirloin, sliced into long thin strips and seasoned with an array of local spices. The traditional seasoning includes garlic, ginger, padaek (fermented fish sauce), lemongrass, red chilis, brown sugar, and black pepper.
After the meat is marinated, it is left out in the sun to dry out and it is sometimes flash-fried just before serving, only to ensure it is warm and to intensify the flavors of the marinade. The resulting jerky is a favorite snack to nibble on while enjoying a cold beer, but it can even be consumed as a dish of its own alongside sticky rice and jeow dipping sauce.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Qai ci or khai being is a traditional egg-based dish originating from Laos. This dish is notoriously labor-intensive, and although there are some variations, it's usually made with a combination of eggs, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oyster sauce, scallions, and coriander.
A hole is poked on top of each egg, and the contents are removed from the shells into a bowl. The salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of oyster sauce are poured into the egg shells. The egg whites and yolks are mixed with diced scallions and coriander and blended.
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