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LAOS

The land of a million elephants...

We decided this year (1996) to leave with a new tour operator Ariane Tours, advised by our travel agent friend Gérard, to direct us to two quite different places: Laos a country which is opening up a little and which has a lot to show and another who is trying to forget the tragedy he has just experienced in Cambodia and then we will end our journey of three weeks of idleness in Pukhet in southern Thailand.

Tour details

As usual, we left Marseille to Paris from where we took a Thai Airways plane for a direct flight to Bangkok. From there, still with this company, another take-off to our final destination, which was interrupted due to a violent storm and forced us to land in Udon Thani and stay there for 3 hours.

Ventiane

This interlude over, we resume our journey to Vientiane (Icone), the country's capital.

We started our tour there by visiting the city and its old French quarters and the various temples that are located there.

The best known is the Pha That Luang national monument, Wat Si Saket has hundreds of Buddha statues arranged two by two in hundreds of niches all over the interior wall.

This city is adorable to visit because there is no traffic jam, no overcrowding, so no pollution and a walk in the evening on the banks of the Mekong is great, just like this oldest hotel in Vientiane le Lane Xang Hotel (it dates from the French colonial era) where we spent the night in a suite (free!!!) with a view of the river.

After a last look at Anousavari (the triumphal arch), we leave for this extraordinary city that is Luang Prabang (Icone).

Luang Prabang

It's a real open-air museum!.

It takes several days to visit the city and its surroundings.

The first site is visible from everywhere in the city, it is Mount Phou-Si , because it dominates the whole city and the point of view is magnificent on the Mekong river and the Nam Khan river (when we passed, there was still a gun carriage there).

The rest of the city is mainly made up of temples (or Wat): Soukharam, Mai , Hosiam Voravihane, Mahathat , Pa Phai, Xieng Mouane, Thioum Kong, these are the most important along the main street.

On this street there is also a former royal palace, a house of a princess and the post office (it's written in French).

There is also a small market in the morning where you can see mountain people (tribes from the highlands) chatting or selling some products.

Pak Ou

Near Luang Prabang, you reach the Pak Ou cave by the river (Icone) which contains about 4000 statues of various sizes (no one really knows the reason for this storage) and it's a real labyrinth to try to see the maximum.

On the way back, stop on the edge of the river to taste the rice alcohol made in old barrels made from fermented rice (hot rice alcohol is the violent, brutal kind!!).

Before leaving the city, we took part in the Baci ceremony and in gratitude, the guide advised us to make an offering (a bouquet of flowers) in a temple in front of hilarious monks in front of our lack of technique and especially of practice.

Then we stopped in different villages, to see weaving, pottery or crafts (beautiful and cheap, they export almost everything to Thailand).

Plain of Jars

We took the plane (during our stay we never had any roads, which were dangerous because they were victims of regular attacks by Mhong rebels!!) to visit the Plain of Jars (Icone).

A personal opinion, see the stone jars in one hour maximum and then you are stuck until the next day because there is only one flight per day and in the evening the light is cut off at night. Very funny or not!!.

Savannakhet

In Savannakhet (Icone) we were able to see underground salt mines (hello working conditions), otherwise nothing of interest

Pakse - Tad lo

The highlight of the trip is around Pakse (Icone), more precisely in Tad Lo that we have experienced.

After a brief visit to the village, we found ourselves in bungalows on the edge of a torrent in the middle of the jungle.

In the morning, when you wake up, you take a walk on the balcony and it overlooks small falls and that's when you are picked up by elephant for breakfast. Another world !!!!

A great day because the elephant remained almost all the time with us in the visit of the region.

Champassak

After this interlude we went to visit Vat Phou (Icone) , in the province of Champassak, an old Khmer palace of which only ruins remain.

We left them with regret to retrace our steps towards Vientiane, for the rest of our circuit.

Weather report

VIENTIANE WEATHER

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Latest news

INFORMATIONAugust 2nd, 2022
Conditions of entrance on the Laotian territory
Laotian authorities decided on the reopening of the country as from May 9th, 2022. Following ceremonies are instituted:
> The passengers subjected to visas have to subject their request to a Laotian presentation abroad or at arrival in frontier post in Laos;
> The 12-year-old passengers and more not having a full vaccinal schema have to introduce the result of an antigénique test quick ATK of less than 48 hours before their departure;
> Les voyageurs présentant un schéma vaccinal complet sont exemptés de présentation du résultat d’un test COVID-19.

What there is to know

History

The history of Laos goes back to distant times, before our era, as demonstrated by the enigmatic remains of the Plain of Jars. Around the 5th century AD. an influence of the primitive Khmer kingdoms is felt and through them the Hindu civilization then the Buddhism of the Dvaravati civilization

The site of Vat Phou, in the south of the country, dates back to this time. Around the 12th century, the country's history really begins with the arrival of Thai populations arriving from southern China. In 1333, Lane Xang, land of a million elephants, was founded. Buddhism is established definitively.

Over the centuries, the kingdom is consolidated, Vientiane becomes the capital in 1520, the kingdom of Chiang Mai is annexed, it is the apogee of Lane Xang. The 17th and 18th centuries will be more agitated, the kingdom is fragmented, the provinces come under Burmese, Chinese or Thai domination, in 1778 Vientiane is taken by the Thai kingdom.

Laos then passed under the control of Siam (Thailand) which dominated the three kingdoms until the 19th century. In 1893 the action of the vice-consul of France in Luang Pragang, Auguste Pavie, as well as a blockade of the coasts forced Siam to cede the left bank of the Mekong then to sign treaties (1902, 1904) recognizing the protectorate of the France on Laos.

It was finally integrated into the French Indochinese Union in 1899. In 1904, began the long reign of Sisavang Vong which lasted until 1959. Japanese occupation (1940-1945). During World War II, Japan imposed its domination over French Indochina, including Laos.

France being at the time governed by Vichy, this domination was exercised indirectly, the French administrators remained in office and the tricolor flag continued to float over Vientiane. In 1941, Thailand, an ally of Japan, only imposed on France to cede the territories west of the Mekong.

Until 1945, French Indochina was little affected by the fighting, but when the Japanese realized that they were going to lose the war, they sought to prevent the return of the European colonial powers and favored the independence which was proclaimed on 8 April 1945 by King Sisavang Vong (under Japanese pressure).

The communist rebellion does not disarm, supported by the Viet Minh against the tottering power supported by the United States. A ceasefire intervened on February 22, 1973 and in 1975 the communist movement of Pathet Lao overthrew King Savang Vatthana and took power.

King Savang Vatthana and Queen Khamphoui abdicated on December 2, 1975. The king, queen and heir to the throne died in an internment camp. The Democratic People's Republic of Laos (RPDL) is created with a one-party regime, causing the exile of approximately 300,000 people, or 10% of the population.

A period of cooperation with the USSR was followed from 1988 by a desire for relative openness to the modern economy. King Savang Vatthana's youngest son, Sauryavong Savang, becomes regent of the kingdom and president of the royal family in exile on behalf of heir to the throne Prince Soulivong Savan

Policy

President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Khamtay Siphandone. Prime Minister, Bougnang Vorachit. Parliament, Speaker of the Chamber, Samane Vignaketh. Political regime with a single party. The PRPL (Lao People's Revolutionary Party). The President of the Republic is elected by Parliament for 5 years.

Government policy is determined by the Party through the Politburo and the Central Committee. The Hmong ethnic group in the north of the country is in armed struggle against the communist regime which has oppressed them since 1975 because of their choice to fight alongside the United States during the Vietnam War.

In Vientiane, on the other hand, the Hmongs are integrated into society and some hold high positions in the state apparatus. The opposition in exile regularly denounces the human rights violations committed against the Hmongs in the Saysouboune area.

Attacks sporadically shake the country, without it being possible to attribute them to a specific political movement. Laos has been a member of ASEAN since July 23, 1997. (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). It hosted, for the first time, the ASEAN summit from November 24 to December 1, 2004 in Vientiane.

Laos has been a member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) since July 23, 1997. For the first time, it hosted the ASEAN summit from November 24 to December 1, 2004 in Vientiane.

Geography

Laos is located between the 14th and the 22nd parallel north. Its area is 236,800 km2. It has a border with China (200 km), Burma (150 km), Thailand (1000 km), Vietnam (1000 km), and Cambodia (150 km). Mountains and plateaus occupy more than 70% of the country.

Watered by the Mekong, not very navigable because of its irregular flow (1898 km in Laos on a total route of 4200 km), which largely forms the border with Thailand. The country extends from north to south over 1,000 km from the confines of China to the border of Cambodia.

It sometimes only reaches a hundred kilometers wide. Laos is made up of mountains and high plateaus. PHOU BIA is the highest point of the Annamite Cordillera (2820 m. XIENG-KHOUANG region). The Annamite mountain range forms the main part of the border with Vietnam to the east.

Highest point: Mount Rao Co, 2286 m. Hot and humid climate Tropical climate characterized by monsoons. 2 seasons. Dry season from October to April, rainy season from May to September. 15/20° in Dec-January, 30° in March-April. October and November can be rainy. Forest covers 52.8% of the country.

Economy

Laos is one of the poorest countries on the planet. In recent years, even if the economy remains dependent on international aid, there has been a very clear improvement in the growth rate - around 8.3% in 2012 (7.9% expected in 2013).

The economy of Laos is characterized by huge disparities between regions. Most of the economic activity is located near the border areas.

Laos is now one of the countries in Asia with the most liberal regulations for the entry and exit of capital. Over the past 10 years, Vietnam, China and Thailand have dominated, in that order, the landscape of foreign investors. France ranks first among Western countries with however amounts 6 to 10 times lower than those of the members of this triumvirate... This complete reversal was first reinforced by the accession of Laos to ASEAN (Association Southeast Asian nations) in 1997.

In 2010, the Vientiane Stock Exchange was established. A revolution for this country with a planned economy! Then, at the end of 2012, the country joined the WTO (World Trade Organization) after long negotiations. This could eventually allow it to live less under the thumb of its three powerful neighbors, a situation not without risk for the de facto independence of the country.

The continuation of reforms, accelerated by entry into the WTO and its procession of conditions, remains necessary to allow the country to establish itself durably within the emerging countries.

Religion

Various religions coexist in Laos, placed under the authority of the Lao National Building Front (FLEN), a structure set up by the communist government to regulate the religious activities and traditions of ethnic minorities. Most religious communities coexist in harmony.

Most Laotians are of the Buddhist faith (Small Vehicle Buddhism, or Theravada Buddhism. Animist rites are however very widespread in the country, especially among minority ethnic groups, but have been integrated into the Buddhist cult.

Laos has more than 5,000 pagodas and about 22,000 monks, 9,000 of whom are permanent clergy. To this must be added a total of about 450 nuns (most often widows). Most Laotians become monks once in their life, for a period that varies from one week to almost their entire life.

Christians (Catholics, Protestants and Mormons) make up about 2% of the population. The FLEN distinguishes them within the religious category "Church of Jesus Christ". The Catholic Church has approximately 35,000 faithful, often of Vietnamese origin. There are three bishops in Laos, based in Vientiane, Pakse and Thakhek.

Protestants have around 60,000 followers, particularly among the Hmong, Yao and Khmer ethnic groups. There are other religious minorities, such as Islam, Confucianism, the Baha'i faith and Mahayana Buddhism. Very few Laotians are atheists or agnostics.

Source : Wikipedia

Additional Information

When to leave?

Like all of Asia in general, it is better to leave at the end of October until the beginning of May because of the monsoon.

Transport

the main cross roads linking Thailand to Vietnam are paved and of good quality. However, most of the 15,000 km of the network remain dirt or gravel tracks. These are more or less passable in the rainy season (mud, deep ruts) and, the rest of the year, depending on the repair work carried out. The plane remains the most practical and fastest means of transport to move within Laos.

Sleep / Eat

Lao food is close to Thai cuisine but is characterized by the use of even more aromatic herbs. In Vientiane and Luang Prabang, there are all categories of accommodation, from the family guesthouse to the 3-4 star hotel and elsewhere you can have good surprises (Tad Lo for example!!)

Purchase

Weaving is the most widespread and typical element, one can also find beautiful objects carved in wood or horn, more rarely in stone. Laos has a very rich tradition of goldsmithery and also at a lower cost, very beautiful examples of peasant basketry.

Useful websites
Tourist information office

The Art of Food

Aekng
Soup Ingredients
3/4 liter of chicken broth. 3 leaves of bergamot. 5 cm of galangal. 3 stalks of lemongrass. 5-6 medium or large prawns. 150 g button mushrooms. 5 green and red bird peppers. 4 tbsp. s lime juice, or as desired. 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce, or as desired. A handful of fresh coriander leaves
Preparation
Bring the broth to a boil, then add the lemongrass, bergamot, galangal, mushrooms and prawns. Boil for 3-4 minutes until the prawns are cooked but too much so that they don't harden. Then add the chilli, lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and add lemon or sauce if needed. The soup should be hot. Serve the soup sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

Khao pun lav
Lao rice soup Ingredients
125g of rice 2 L of chicken stock A slice of fresh ginger Fried onions Chives Soy sauce, pepper, chilli powder 4 eggs Ground pork or strips of cooked pork or crumbled poultry De coriander (4 leafless sprigs)
Preparation
Rinse the rice with plenty of water to remove the starch then put it in a large saucepan with the chicken broth and the ginger. The volume of water seems very important to you but it is normal, the rice will strongly swell. After boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The rice will cook and melt. If you choose ground pork, crumble it into the pot when boiling and cook with the rice. When ready to serve, return to a boil over high heat. Crack an egg into a ladle and gently drop it into the boiling broth to poach. Serve a few ladlefuls of rice in a bowl, put the poached egg back in. Sprinkle with meat, fried onion, chives, coriander. Then add a teaspoon of soy sauce, and sprinkle with pepper and chilli powder.

Khao Poun
Pork noodle soup with coconut milk Ingredients
400g minced pork 950ml coconut milk 2 stalks lemongrass 1 shallot 2 cloves garlic 3 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp shrimp paste 4 lemon leaves 1/4 tsp salt 1 case of paprika 6 lettuce leaves 150g bean sprouts 1 carrot 250g rice vermicelli
Preparation
Cook the rice vermicelli in a large quantity of water, respecting the time indicated on the package. Drain them and set aside. Grind the lemongrass + garlic + shallot + lemon leaves as finely as possible in a food processor. Heat some coconut milk in the pot. When hot, add the lemongrass + garlic + shallot + chopped lemon leaves mixture and the paprika. To mix together. Add the meat and the kapi. Mix well so that the meat forms small pieces, add the fish sauce. Add the coconut milk little by little, and as it heats up, add salt. Dilute with boiling water: for 1 liter of coconut milk, add approximately 300 ml of water. To taste. If it's not salty enough, rectify by adding fish sauce. Cut the salad into thin strips, grate the carrot, put everything in a salad bowl and add the bean sprouts, set aside. In a large bowl, put the cooked rice noodles, a handful of the mixed vegetables, and cover everything with the broth. To be enjoyed hot.

Lap kai
Chicken salad Ingredients
1 chicken washed and gutted. (Extract the "white" and the mince. Keep the skin, the liver, the gizzards, wash them, boil them in water then mince them). (recover 35 cl of this broth) 1 chicken washed and gutted. Extract the "white" and mince. Keep the skin, the liver, the gizzards, wash them, boil them in water then mince them (recover 35 cl of this broth). 5 small round courgettes cooked in charcoal. 3 heads of garlic cooked in charcoal. 2 shallots cooked in charcoal. 3 small roasted peppers. 2 slices of galangal. 140 ml of padek. "Khao khoua" (uncooked sticky rice, grilled and reduced to powder). 1 young banana flower, cut into strips. 3 heads of garlic to fry until brown-yellow. 3 kaffir lime leaves cut into thin strips. Sliced ​​spring onion leaves. Chopped coriander leaves. Salt
Preparation
Finely chop the chicken and the ingredients for the "kuang laap". Add the salt and the "pa dek" and chop the mixture again. Once the preparation has a strong taste of "pa dek", add the chicken broth. Add the "khao khoua", the banana flower, the skin of the chicken and its offal cut into thin strips and the garlic. Taste and salt again if needed. Serve on a flat plate, garnish with onion leaves, coriander and kaffir lime.

Sarad sinngua
Beef salad Ingredients
500 grams of beef 1 large lime (3 tablespoons) 1 stalk lemongrass 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Lao Nam pa or Vietnamese Nuoc Mam) 1 small piece of galangal (you can substitute with ginger) 2 tablespoons raw sticky rice mint, coriander and spring onion 1 teaspoon salt, 1 pinch of pepper fresh chilli (to taste)
Preparation
Grill the raw glutinous rice in a pan then pound it in a mortar to obtain a fine powder. Cut the meat into thin strips (for chicken or duck chop coarsely, you can add liver, gizzards to the meat…). The meat can be used raw or grilled very lightly. Coarsely chop the peppers, spring onion, mint and coriander. Chop the lemongrass and galangal very finely. In a bowl, combine the meat, herbs, lemon, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Book cool. Before serving, mix with the roasted rice powder.

Sarad sikhiav
Green papaya salad Ingredients
400 grams of green papaya 6/8 ripe cherry tomatoes 1 or 2 limes 2 small fresh green or red chillies 2 cloves of garlic 2 tablespoons of sugar 2 tablespoons of Nuoc mam (Nam pa) (if you have find replace a tablespoon of fish sauce with a spoon of paderk fermented fish brine) salt You can also add peanuts, small crabs
Preparation
Peel the green papaya and grate into thin strips In the mortar, vigorously crush the pods of garlic and fresh chilli. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Mix well. Adjust seasoning. Serve with green salad and aromatic herbs of your choice. Cover with peanuts if you feel like it.

Ping kai na pong kab phak si
Grilled chicken salad with coriander paste Ingredients
5 whole chicken thighs (with the thigh) homemade coriander paste oyster sauce (Thai) powdered sugar glutamate nuoc mam fresh coriander chilli salad
Preparation
First we prepare the coriander paste, in the bowl of a small blender, put a bunch of coriander (less 3 branches for the service) leaves and stems, two cloves of garlic and blend, add a little water to form a paste. Then we move on to the marinade: mix 1 tablespoon of coriander paste, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 pinch of glutamate, 1 heaped tablespoon of sugar and 1+1/2 tablespoons of nuoc-mam. Bone the chicken thighs and put the flesh in the marinade. Mix by hand so that the meat is well flavored (Moo told us when he saw us do this delicately, the chicken is dead, you can really go for it). Heat a grill pan if you are indoors or a barbecue and cook the chicken, you must it is well grilled (remember to turn it regularly), it cooks fairly quickly. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: mix 1 tablespoon of coriander paste, 1 tablespoon of nuoc-mam with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 pinch of glutamate. And as usual, it's up to you to adjust according to your taste. Slice and seed a few fresh Thai peppers (3 or 4) and arrange them in a dish. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a bed of salad, pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, stems and stems of minced chives, roasted peanuts (I always have a small pot with peanuts dry roasted and crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. prepare the sauce: mix 1 tablespoon of coriander paste, 1 tablespoon of nuoc-mam with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 pinch of glutamate. And as usual, it's up to you to adjust according to your taste. Slice and seed a few fresh Thai peppers (3 or 4) and arrange them in a dish. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a bed of salad, pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, stems and stems of minced chives, roasted peanuts (I always have a small pot with peanuts dry roasted and crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. prepare the sauce: mix 1 tablespoon of coriander paste, 1 tablespoon of nuoc-mam with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 pinch of glutamate. And as usual, it's up to you to adjust according to your taste. Slice and seed a few fresh Thai peppers (3 or 4) and arrange them in a dish. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a bed of salad, pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, stems and stems of minced chives, roasted peanuts (I always have a small pot with peanuts dry roasted and crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. it's up to you to adjust according to your taste. Slice and seed a few fresh Thai peppers (3 or 4) and arrange them in a dish. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a bed of salad, pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, stems and stems of minced chives, roasted peanuts (I always have a small pot with peanuts dry roasted and crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. it's up to you to adjust according to your taste. Slice and seed a few fresh Thai peppers (3 or 4) and arrange them in a dish. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a bed of salad, pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with coriander leaves, stems and stems of minced chives, roasted peanuts (I always have a small pot with peanuts dry roasted and crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. I always have a little pot with dry-roasted peanuts crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not. I always have a little pot with dry-roasted peanuts crushed in a mortar). Serve with the chilli separately so that everyone can choose to put some or not.
Shup Sui
Shup Sui Ingredients
Minced beef. Fish sauce. Oyster sauce. Salt. pepper. A clove of garlic. An onion. Soy.
Preparation
Crush the garlic and brown it in the pan. Cut the onion into rings. Cook. Add the meat, seasoning with salt, pepper, fish sauce Then the oyster sauce (about a teaspoon). Finish by adding the soybeans.

Sinmu
Pork Skewers Ingredients
1 kg minced pork belly. 1 clove of garlic. Salt. Oyster sauce. Fish sauce. 1 C. of bicarbonate of soda. 1/4 liter of water. 2 tbsp. s of potato flour. Small rice cakes. Mint leaves and salad for accompaniment
Preparation
Thoroughly mix the meat with the crushed garlic, the two tablespoons of potato flour, the teaspoon of baking soda, the glass of water (1/4 l). Add a little salt (a teaspoon), 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce. Let stand 15 minutes. With the preparation make small meatballs and skewer them. Cooking: on the barbecue, in the oven or in the pan. For cooking on the barbecue or in the pan, pre-cook the skewers in the oven at 220° for 15 minutes. For cooking in the oven, allow 30 minutes at 220°. Serve with mint from the salad and small rice cakes previously soaked on a plate. Take the pancake in your hand, place the lettuce, the mint and then one or two meatballs.

Kai kab hed
Chicken with mushrooms Ingredients
1 chicken, washed and gutted. 140 g Chinese vermicelli, soaked and cut. 4 tablespoons of black mushrooms, washed and minced. 5 peeled shallots. 1 dried squid, soaked, rinsed and minced. 4 potatoes, washed, peeled and finely diced. 2 eggs, prepared in an omelet that you will mince afterwards. 3 scent mushrooms afterwards. 3 fragrant mushrooms, soaked and sliced. Spring onions, green part only, sliced. 1 whole new onion. Coriander leaves. 3 coriander roots. Salt. Fermented fish sauce. Black pepper
Preparation
After preparing the ingredients, put a large container containing 1.5 liters of water on the fire. Salt to taste, add the whole new onion and the coriander roots. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the whole chicken, keep covered until the poultry is cooked. Remove the container from the heat. Place the chicken on a cutting board, extract "the white". Recover the broth and pass it through a sieve, put it back on the heat until it boils. Add the fermented fish sauce, shallots and mushrooms. Once the shallots are cooked, add the potatoes, the minced chicken breast, the vermicelli, and the calamari. When everything is cooked, taste, salt if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and add the minced omelette.

Aekng aekngaedng lae aekng no kai
Red curry and chicken noodle soup Ingredients
1 gutted duck. 5 slices of galangal. 5 spring onions*. 3 stems of cilantro*. 4 new onions, washed and sliced. 3 stems of coriander, mince only the leaves. 4 young bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips. ¼ of a papaya, washed and cut into small strips. 2 Chinese cabbage leaves, cut into small strips. 2.5 kilos of rice vermicelli. 2 fresh red peppers, minced. Sugar. Salt. Fish sauce. *Make a bouquet garni with these 8 ingredients
Preparation
Heat 1 liter of water. Salt, add the galangal and the bouquet garni. Bring to the boil then add the duck cut into pieces and a dash of fish sauce. Cover until the poultry is fully cooked while skimming the fat from the surface of the broth. Taste, re-salt if necessary. Mix the bamboo shoots, cabbage leaves and papaya. Place a little of this preparation in a bowl, put the rice vermicelli on top, then a piece of duck. Garnish each bowl with spring onions and chopped coriander leaves, duck broth. The sugar and peppers will be presented in small cups on the table, so everyone can season as they wish.

Sarad mu phed
Spicy pork salad Ingredients
300 grams of Thai rice 1/2 cucumber 1/2 bunch of coriander 1/2 bunch of mint 2 shallots 200 grams of minced beef 200 grams of minced pork 2 stalks of lemongrass 5 tablespoons of nuoc mam 1 red chilli (optional) 2 limes 3 tablespoons palm sugar 2 tablespoons water
Preparation
Cook the rice and cut the cucumber (set aside). In the meantime, chop the cilantro, mint and shallots. In a skillet over high heat, cook the shallots, lemongrass and minced meat, without fat. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until the meat is cooked (about 8 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in the nuoc mam, chilli, lime juice, sugar and water. Mix and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the mint and coriander at the last minute, mix. Serve the laab moo hot with cucumber and rice.

Kai kab aekng aedng
Chicken with red curry Ingredients
1 can of 400 ml coconut milk 1 case of red curry paste 1 case of paprika 2 tsp of curry powder 1 aubergine 1 stalk of lemongrass 2 cloves of garlic 2 shallots 1 onion 4 chicken thighs 2 lemon leaves 4 basil leaves 4 cases of fish sauce
Preparation
Chop the onion and the shallot. To book. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and cut them into thin slices. Cut the lemongrass branches into very thin slices. Cut the eggplant into large dice. To book. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, sauté the onion, shallot, lemongrass, and garlic for 1 minute. Add the red curry paste. Add the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with curry powder and paprika. Mix well to color everything. Add 4 cases of fish sauce and mix so that everything is homogeneous. Then pour the coconut milk + 400 ml of water. Add the aromatic leaves. Simmer for 1 hour until the meat is tender. 20 minutes before the end of cooking,

Luk sinmu
Pork meatballs Ingredients
200g ground pork 50g soy vermicelli 1 onion 1 shallot 1 egg 1 tsp salt 1/2 pinch of pepper 2 tbsp soy sauce - Fiche Soy sauce 1 tsp sugar Oil for frying
Preparation
Put hot water on the angel hair to soften it. Peel, wash and chop the onion and shallot. In a salad bowl put the minced meat, the egg, the angel hair cut beforehand, the onion and the minced shallot. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce. Mix everything well. Make balls of equal size with the palms of your hands. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the meatballs. Brown, turning the meatballs regularly. When the meatballs are golden brown, place them on absorbent paper. Serve hot with a bowl of plain rice.
Waffles nom makphav
Coconut milk waffles Ingredients
300 grams of flour 2 eggs 300 ml of coconut milk 100 to 200 ml of water (if the dough is too thick or not) 30 grams of sugar 100 grams of grated coconut (fresh if possible is better)
Preparation
Mix the flour, sugar and eggs well. Add the coconut milk little by little, mixing as you go. Add the water little by little until the batter has the right consistency (a little thicker than pancake batter). Let the batter rest and cook the waffles in a pre-oiled waffle iron for 3 to 5 minutes.

Khao pun ped
Puffed rice cakes Ingredients
Sticky rice
Preparation
Prepare sticky rice and leave to cool. Lao sticky rice is steamed. Soak your rice for at least an hour before cooking it for around 50 minutes. With the cold sticky rice, form patties that you will press strongly between two plates. Leave to dry for a few hours in the sun (or a little more indoors). Immerse the dried patties in a bath of boiling oil, the rice suddenly swells, it's a very funny sight. Drain the patties on absorbent paper. Drizzle a little caramel over your pancakes and eat cold.

Laothai flan
Lao-thai flan Ingredients
7 eggs 250g crumbled palm sugar 100ml coconut milk 7 fresh pandanus leaves, cut into pieces and crushed in a mortar Half a taro, cut into julienne strips 2 or 3 jackfruit pieces, cut into julienne strips 1 small piece candied ginger, very finely chopped 2 or 3 banana leaves to make original little moulds.
Preparation
Mix the eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandanus leaves until all the palm sugar is well incorporated with the other ingredients. Leave to rest for 10 minutes so that the pandanus leaves infuse into the mixture. Place the taro at the bottom of each small mold then pour the preparation over it. Sprinkle with a few strips of jackfruit. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Place a few tiny pieces of candied ginger on each flan. Leave to cool and enjoy.
The national beer lao-lao (rice alcohol produced by hand in rural villages using a method similar to the home boiler).
Lao coffee (coffee prepared with beans from the Bolaven plateau).
tea lao (tea produced in the province of Phongsaly) and finally:
Beerlao, light and refreshing beer produced in the country.