Hey hey! Another week, another story to share! How’ve you been lately? I hope you had a great week. So today, I want to tell you about a cool dish I recently discovered, a delicious little-known dish from Laos! Have you ever heard of Gaeng Nor Mai? I just stumbled on it recently and I had to tell you about it!
If you haven’t heard of it, I don’t blame you—it’s a pretty obscure dish! Gaeng Nor Mai is this super tasty traditional Lao bamboo soup that’s usually eaten with sticky rice. It’s cozy, flavorful, and honestly such a hidden gem!
The main ingredients in Gaeng Nor Mai are pretty unique—yanang leaves, bamboo shoots, and sticky rice! That’s right, sticky rice isn’t just for eating on the side—you actually cook it into the soup too! How cool is that?
Depending on the region—whether you're in the north or south of Laos—Gaeng Nor Mai can have different textures. Down south, they tend to use more sticky rice, so the soup turns out thicker and heartier. Up north, they go lighter on the sticky rice, so it’s a bit more brothy!
To make it, you start by boiling bamboo shoots until tender, then simmer them with Yanang leaf extract and seasonings like padaek (fermented fish sauce). Toasted sticky rice is ground into a powder and stirred in to thicken the soup. Some versions include mushrooms, herbs, or even bits of rattan, depending on what’s available. It’s simple, rustic cooking
It may be a quiet dish, but it’s full of soul and tradition. Definitely one to try if you’re curious about Lao food!
Best regards, Gembira
Here to make your soul happy!