Kaeng Nor Mai (Lao Bamboo Shoot Soup)
“An earthy, herbal Lao soup of sliced bamboo shoots simmered in green yanang-leaf extract with pork, mushrooms and vegetables, seasoned with padaek and fish sauce and finished with sticky-rice paste, dill and basil. It is rustic, jungle-flavored and deeply satisfying.”
Where it comes from
This is the soup of the Lao countryside, built around whatever the forest and rice paddy give up after the rains. When bamboo shoots push up in the wet season, families gather them by the basketful, and the bitter, slender leaves of the yanang vine are wrung out for their grassy green juice that defines the dish. Thickened with a pinch of pounded sticky rice and funked up with padaek, it tastes of the jungle and is a staple from humble homes to temple kitchens.
On the plate
The broth is grassy and faintly bitter from the yanang, with bamboo shoots giving a fibrous, almost meaty crunch. Padaek lays down a savory funk underneath, the squash turns it silky, and a bright lift of dill and basil keeps every spoonful smelling of the forest.
How it works
Yanang leaf juice contributes both color and a subtle mineral bitterness that balances the funk of padaek, while pre-boiling the bamboo leaches out astringent compounds. A small amount of pounded sticky rice releases starch that gently thickens and binds the broth without flour.
Variations
Make it with chicken or mushrooms only for a lighter version, use sour fermented bamboo for a tangy stew, or add okra and climbing wattle leaves for extra body and aroma.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓30 min active · 15 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 122 min
Boil fresh bamboo shoots for about 20 minutes to remove bitterness, then drain and slice.
- 28 min
Knead or blend yanang leaves with water and strain to extract the dark green juice.
- 35 min
In a pot, bring the yanang liquid and pork stock to a gentle simmer with the bamboo shoots.
- 412 min
Add pork belly, padaek and fish sauce and simmer until the pork is tender.
- 58 min
Add lemongrass, kabocha squash and wood ear mushrooms and cook until the squash softens.
- 62 min
Stir in a spoon of pounded sticky-rice paste to lightly thicken the broth.
- 72 min
Season with salt and add Thai chilies to taste.
- 82 min
Finish with dill, sawtooth herb and basil, then serve hot with sticky rice.
