Most Popular Lao Salads

(Originally from https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-salads-in-laos)

Tam maak hoong

The traditional Lao version of a Southeast Asian green papaya salad, tam maak hoong incorporates all the local flavors in a spicy, savory street food dish. The main ingredients for an authentic tam maak hoong are shredded green papaya, garlic, peanuts, chilis, tomatoes, lime juice, and padaek (fermented fish sauce).

The signature flavor profile of the dish is well-known for balancing all four primary tastes – spicy, sour, salty, and sweet. Tam maak hoong is prepared with a mortar and pestle, and it can be eaten on its own or served as an accompaniment to grilled meat or cracklings.

Yum salad

Yum salad is a savory Laotian salad made with fresh watercress, boiled eggs, peanuts, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, and lime juice. Some recipes also include radicchio, coriander, radishes, shallots, and cucumbers. The vegetables and herbs are thinly sliced, while the boiled egg yolks are mashed together with fish sauce and lime to create a sweet and tangy dressing.

Once the salad is assembled and tossed, the peanuts and garlic chips are sprinkled at the very top with a bit of olive oil, and it is ready to be served. Yum salad is usually eaten by itself as a healthy and delicious light meal, but it can also be served as an accompaniment to the main dish.

See also Luang Prabang (Laos Yum) Salad

Yum sen lon

Yum sen lon is a Laotian noodle salad made with cellophane noodles (also known as glass noodles), pork belly, and fresh vegetables. Because the noodles themselves aren’t really flavorful, the most important part of this recipe is using highly aromatic, spicy, and savory dressings to complement the texture of the noodles.

Typically, the dressing contains red chilis, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. The most commonly used vegetables in the salad are bell peppers, celery, garlic, and shallots. Pork belly or ground pork add another layer of richness to the dish, while mint and coriander leaves are often used for garnish.

Nam khao

Nam khao is a crispy Lao salad consisting of deep-fried rice balls that are shredded and mixed with various condiments and toppings. Although it appears in numerous regional varieties, besides rice balls, it mostly employs sour som moo pork, sausages, various herbs, and sliced shallots.

The whole salad is often generously seasoned with a flavorful dressing, then topped with chili peppers and chopped peanuts. This nutritious, time-consuming national favorite is easily available at many food stands and grocery stores throughout the country.

Larb / Laap

Larb is a heavily seasoned meat salad that’s garnished with freshly chopped herbs and khao khoua — toasted ground rice. Considered the unofficial dish of Laos, larb was first invented in the Chinese province of Yunnan, but became deeply rooted in Lao cuisine, consumed both in Laos and the bordering Isan, a region in Thailand.

The base of the dish is hand-minced meat, either beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish, that can be raw or cooked, a souring agent – typically lime juice, and either fish sauce and/or padaek, a type of fermented fish sauce. The ingredients and variations of the basic recipe are endless, and similar dishes can be found throughout Southeast Asia. 

See also Laos Laap / Larb

Som Tam

Som tam is a green papaya salad mostly associated with the northeastern part of Thailand (Isaan), though it is often suggested that it first appeared in Laos. Apart from thin strips of green papaya, this salad usually includes roasted peanuts, green beans, tomatoes, and a tangy sauce typically made with garlic, chili peppers, fish sauce, dried shrimps, palm sugar, and lime or tamarind juice.

The varieties are plentiful and can include various additions. The sauce can also appear in many other combinations, and can significantly vary in sweetness and spiciness. Numerous restaurants and street stalls allow the customers to choose the variety they prefer and adjust the ingredients to their preference.