Southern Lao
Champasak-Mekong south — sa-khan pepper, sien savanh dried beef, pa daek stews.
Jeow Mak Len
Lao charred-tomato chili dip
View page →Southern Lao cuisine is the food of Champasak, Saravane, Sekong, and Attapeu — the Mekong river valley as it bends toward Cambodia and the Bolaven Plateau coffee-and-mountain-pepper country. The kitchen is distinguished from Northern and Central Lao by three signature ingredients: sa-khan pepper (Piper boehmeriifolium, a numbing-citrus mountain pepper endemic to the Bolaven Plateau, used in stews and chili pastes), sien savanh (sun-dried beef jerky, a Champasak heritage that's unique in Laos), and intense pa daek (fermented-fish paste, made in Southern Lao households in clay pots for months and considered the country's funkiest).
Champasak is also Laos's Khmer-influenced borderland — old Khmer temple ruins (Vat Phou, a UNESCO site) dot the landscape, and the cuisine reflects this with Khmer-style fish dishes (or pia), Cambodian-style coconut influence (rare in Northern Lao), and a more vegetable-heavy table than the meat-and-rice north. The Bolaven Plateau (1,000m+ elevation) provides cold-climate vegetables, coffee, and tea — a counterpoint to the lowland Mekong basin. Found at every Pakse and Champasak market; rare in Vientiane-centric Lao restaurants abroad.
Start Here
Sun-dry for at least 1 full day; even 12 hours isn't enough for the characteristic chewy-jerky texture.
Why start here · Sien Savanh is the Champasak signature snack — Lao beef jerky with the texture of Asian preservation tradition.
The pa daek's funk separates lovers from haters — make sure to strain it well before adding to the broth.
Why start here · Or Pia is the everyday Southern Lao household stew — pa daek-anchored fish cooking at its truest.
The Pantry
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Vegetables
Fruits
Herbs & Spices
Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
Sauces & Condiments
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
Other regions
Siblings within Lao — each its own tradition.
