Spicy Chicken Green Curry

Approximate time required: 15-25min
Serving: 5-7

What you'll need:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion or 2 shallot (sliced)

2 clove garlic (minced)

1 medium piece ginger (sliced)

2 Tbsp green curry paste (I use the canned ones, fast & inexpensive)

1.5 lb chicken breast (sliced)(optionally beef/pork/duck/shrimp/tofu)
1 cup egg plant or zucchini (sliced)
1 cup bamboo shoot (sliced)
1 cup mushroom

1 cup coconut milk

1 red or green bell pepper (sliced)
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 lime leaves (optional)
1 tsp fresh lime juice
2 branch basil leaves (to garnish/optional)

In a wok or pot, heat oil in high heat. Add garlic, onion, ginger, green curry paste, chicken, and sautee till chicken is browned on all sides. About 3-5 min. Add egg plant/zucchini, bamboo, mushroom, oster sauce, stir and simmer for about 5 min.

Add coconut milk, bell pepper, lime leaves, and lower heat to medium once coconut milk is hot, stir and simmer for another 5 min. Turn the heat off, garish with lime juice, and basil leaves, stir, and serve in a plater. Enjoy with rice!

Laap sein (Spicy herbed beef)

Approximated time required: 10-15min

Serving: 4-6

What you'll need:

1 lb beef (cooked and sliced thin)

2 Tbsp roasted ground rice (see below)

3 Tbsp lime juice

3 Tbsp fish sauce

1/4 tsp MSG (optional)

1 shallot (sliced thin)

1 small piece lemongrass (sliced thin)

1 small piece galangal (sliced thin) (Might be able to get away using ginger if you have a hard time finding this)

2-5 Thai/chili peppers (sliced)(adjust accordingly)

1/2 cup bean sprouts

2 lime leaf (sliced thin) (optional)

1/4 cup parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup mint (chopped)

1 green onion (chopped)

1/4 cup peanut (crushed)

Roasted ground rice: If you're a Lao food fanatic, you probably have this item already made and stored with all your other ingredients. For those of you who have never heard of this, here's how to make it...it's really simple. Feel free to make more than needed for this recipe for later use. Use uncooked white rice. Heat pan to medium heat, add white rice, and stir frequently to avoid burning till rice is nicely brown. Transfer to mortar and pestle or blender for grounding. Ground extra fine. Complete!

Now for the laap (also spelled larb...just ask a Laotian for pronounciation). Chop or slice herbs as indicated. Grill the beef to your preferrence of taste. (My Dad likes his raw, and garished with chicken blood!:) Slice it as thin as you can and place in mixing bowl for the rest of the ingredients. Add lime juice, mix, add grouned rice, and mix again. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the peanut, (in no particular order) and mix well. Served on a plater. Garish with crushed peanut, and 3-5 more whole Thai/chile peppers if you or your guest like it that hot. Served as a main dish, best with sticky rice. Enjoy!

Khoawh gai (Spicy Stir Fried Chicken)

Approximate time required: 10-15min

Serving: 4-6

What you'll need:

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 clove garlic (minced)

1 medium onion (sliced)

1 lb chicken breast (or beef/pork/duck/shrimp/tofu) (sliced)

1 carrot (sliced)

1 cup bambo shoot (sliced)
1/2 cup water chestnuts

1/2 cup mushroom (sliced)
2-5 Thai/chili peppers (adjust accordingly)

3 Tbsp oyster sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp MSG (optional)

1 red or green bell pepper (sliced)

1/2 cup snow peas

1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

In a wok, heat up oil, onion and garlic on high heat. Add meat and stir till mostly cooked.

Add carrot, bambo, water chestnuts, mushroom, Thai/chili peppers, and season with oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, and MSG. Stir as each vegetable is added in the wok, and simmer while occasionally stirring for about 5min.

Add bell pepper and snow peas last, stir and simmer for another 3min. Turn the heat off, garish with parsley, and serve on plater. Enjoy! (Feel free to add or subsitute other vegetables as desired)

Khoawh mee (Lao Fried Noodle)

Approximate time required: 10-20min
Serving: 4-6

What you'll need:

1/4 white/yellow onion (chopped)

1/2 cup shrimp (sliced)

1 lb ground beef or pork (or subsitute with chicken breast, sliced)

1/3 cup vegatable oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 clove glaric (minced)

1 package 8-14oz rice noodle ("Pho"-style is best)
2 cups bean sprouts

1 Tbsp fish sauce

3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp MSG (optional)
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp lime juice
2 green onion (chopped)
2-3 stems of parsley (chopped)

Soak the rice noodle in a room-tempertaure water and allow to sit for at least 1hr. Cut the noodles into segments (about 6 inches, as it will make mixing and stiring easier), once it's soft. Drained before cooking.

In a separate pan cook the ground beef (or pork/chicken), add shrimp, onion, stir and simmer till beef is mostly cooked (use 1tsp oil if using chicken).

In a Wok, heat up oil, brown sugar and garlic over medium to high heat. Once the sugar has melted into the oil, add the drained rice noodle and stir well. Add the meat and 1/2 bean sprouts, stir, and allow to simmer for about 1 min. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce, MSG, and oyster sauce. Keep stiring and simmer for another 2 mins. Turn the heat off, add lime juice, green onion, parsley, rest of the bean sprouts, and stir one last time. Placed in a serving plate/bowl and enjoy!