A delicious Asian dip – Lao eggplant dip made with smoky eggplants, chili, cilantro and garlic. Mash it up by hand the traditional way. Bet you’ve never had a Lao dish before and it’s time to try one!
I’m breaking the chain of Thai themed recipes here to bring a Lao based dish today. D and I recently crossed the border into Laos and have been enjoying the sleepy country for the last few days. Things move slowly here. People are in no hurry, everywhere we go there is a relaxed vibe, and bars shut down at 11:30pm. The streets are quiet.
This is a very laid back country.
Picture hammocks, river views and chilled local beer Laos (for the bargain price of $1.25 for a 640 ml beer)
And the food so far has been pretty good. To jump right into the cuisine I decided to take a cooking class at the Tamarind cooking school in Luang Prabang. The class was great. Theย instructorย was a jolly guy cracking jokes, playing up the lazy Lao stereotype and all around keeping us entertained as well as teaching us about the cuisine and the food.
We started the class with an Asian dip – Lao eggplant dip (Jeow Mak Keua) – a Lao classic. Made to be eaten with sticky rice (glutinous rice, not to be confused with regular rice) by hand this is a spicy smoky rich Asian dip. Delicious essentially.
The traditional Lao kitchen (even today) revolves around a charcoal based “stove” essentially a huge bucket filled with coals and that’s where most of the cooking happens. Is there a formal term for this? The woks or pots are balanced on the top of the bucket, or for this dish the vegetables are just charred right in the coals.
Then the handy mortar and pestle come into use. The ingredients are smashed together, fusing the flavors and creating this finger licking good dip. A suppose a food processor could be used instead – though there are noย guaranteesย the flavors will be released the way the are with the mortar.
Serve this eggplant Asian dip with sticky rice, with you grab with your hands and dip right into the spread. Or just use pita chips or crackers instead. Either way, you’ll love this traditional Lao dish.
This was just the start of the cooking class feast. From this Lao Asian dip, we moved on to chicken stuffed lemongrass, a fish steamed in banana leaves, and a ground meat and herb traditional salad.ย
A delicious Asian dip - made with smoky eggplants, chili, cilantro and garlic. Mash it up by hand the traditional way. Bet you've never had a Lao dish before and it's time to try one!
- 1-2 Japanese eggplant or 1 small regular eggplant
- 1 red birds eye chili
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 small head thai garlic 2-3 cloves
- 1 small shallot
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- dash of fish sauce use gluten free tamari for vegan version
- 1 green onion white part removed, chopped
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Prick holes all over the eggplant with a knife.
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Skewer chili, and separately skewer the garlic and shallot on the tip of a bamboo skewer and grill over an open flame. Use either an outdoor grill, or a gas stove. If neither of these are available use a broiler. Do so until the skin is blackened (the chili will be ready first, then the garlic and shallot and then the eggplant)
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Allow the vegetables to cool and peel the eggplant. The garlic and shallot can be squeezed right out of the skin (and discard the skin).
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In a mortar pound the chili, salt, and garlic with a pestle.
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Add eggplant and cilantro and pound into a soft paste.
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Add fish sauce and green onion and pound. Add more fish sauce if needed.
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Serve with sticky rice, crackers or pita chips.
Recipe from Tamarind Cooking Schoolย
Lindsay says
Yum, I went to Tamarind cooking school in December. This eggplant dip was one of the dishes I had specifically noted to make at home too.
Lindsay says
Also, I think the stove is called a Tao-Lo.
Vicky says
Good to know – thanks!! Yes I loved the eggplant dip!!! Did you take any other cooking classes in Laos?
Lindsay says
Not in Laos, unfortunately. I did take one in Koh Lanta at Lanta Thai Cookery a week or 2 later, but that wasn’t nearly as educational or as fun.
Jess says
I took this class in November and loved it Vicky – what a neat spot! (Although I’ll take this dip any day over laab with buffalo bile in it. Ugggg – I’ll try anything once but that was a bit much even for me.)
Vicky says
Awesome! I loved it too! Haha yes the laap with buffalo bile was quite adventurous for me!
[email protected] says
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foodienewz says
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Vicky says
Thanks will have to check out the site!
Padaek says
This looks perfect and so saab! You did a wonderful job – thank you very much for sharing the recipe. Your food recipes and photos are so good. Loving your blog. Have an awesome day! ๐
Vicky says
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Andy says
My Lao wife calls that kind of stove a Tao fi.
Vicky says
Good to know!