Or Lam

Saeng Douangdara’s selected or lam is a Lao beef stew with cow skin, mushrooms, round eggplants and a sticky-rice paste. Mai sakahn, the wood chili vine described by the author, gives it a distinctive spicy, slightly numbing character.

Lemongrass, bird’s-eye chilies, galangal and shallots form the aromatic mixture. Soaked sticky rice and a small amount of water form a separate paste, while the cow skin and wood chili are prepared before the stew begins.

The aromatic mixture sautés in vegetable oil before diced beef chuck enters. Water, a separate lemongrass stalk and the wood chili follow for the first simmering stage.

Oyster mushrooms, wood-ear mushrooms and prepared cow skin enter before the round eggplants. Padaek and fish sauce season the stew, and the sticky-rice paste joins during the final short simmer.

Green onions and yam leaves enter near the finish, followed by dill and Lao basil as the heat is turned off. Additional chopped dill and basil garnish the stew; Douangdara describes enjoying it with separately prepared Lao sticky rice.