Or Lam (ເອາະຫຼາມ (Or lam))
Overview
Or lam is a thick, peppery stew-soup from Luang Prabang in northern Laos. Lemongrass, chillies, garlic and onion are simmered in water with pieces of sakhan, the bark-covered stem of a wild pepper vine, which gives a woody, slightly numbing heat. Dried buffalo skin, beef, chicken or game is added, and the broth is thickened with a little soaked sticky rice. Small round aubergines, yard-long beans, wood ear mushrooms and green leaves go in near the end, with plenty of fresh dill. The result is earthy, herby and gently spicy, and it is eaten with sticky rice and jeow, a chilli dip.
History
Or lam is one of the signature dishes of Luang Prabang, the old royal capital of Laos, and the original palace recipe was made with deer meat. It is now cooked all over Laos and is one of the best-known Lao dishes, served at family gatherings and in restaurants. The pieces of sakhan are chewed for their flavour but not swallowed, and visitors are often told to spit them out.
Main ingredients
Buffalo or beef, sakhan chilli wood, sticky rice, lemongrass, aubergine, yard-long beans. The soup is built on thick lemongrass broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Bean soups · Beef soups · Rice soups · Lemongrass soups · More soups from Laos
Recipe
Method
- 115 min
Simmer the lemongrass, chillies, garlic and sakhan in 1.2 l water for 15 minutes.
- 240 min
Add the meat and buffalo skin and cook for 40 minutes, until tender.
- 3
Pound the soaked sticky rice and stir it in to thicken the broth.
- 410 min
Add the aubergines, beans and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes.
- 5
Season with fish sauce, add the dill and serve with sticky rice.
- ✓
Serve. About 2 h from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
