Lao Bamboo Shoot Salad
'Soup Nor Mai' ສຸບໜໍ່ໄມ້

This unique recipe is typically Laotian. Contrary to what the Laotian name seems to indicate, it is not a soup but a salad. We can enjoy it warm or lukewarm and sometimes cold. The special taste of the dish comes from the mixture of yanang leaves, padek, phak ka gnen and sesame seeds.

In Laos, it is a dish that we often buy at the market in the morning, back home we enjoy it as a breakfast with sticky rice. Some lovers accompany each bite of this bamboo salad with a small piece of hot chilli pepper, others envelope each spoonful in a leaf of salad with coriander and chives.

It needs a little patience to get a good Soup Nor May, especially be careful to cook over low heat and stir often. Bon appétit.