Phak gap laap (ผักกับลาบ) is a general term used to describe the herbs, vegetables and young leaves – usually between twenty and forty – that are served with the laap. Many of these can be found near the home or in the fields and forests.
In addition to the season and geographical region, the selection of phak gap laap was shaped by the flavor, aroma and, more important, the medicinal properties of the greens and vegetables. Phak gap laap is assembled from three main groups – aromatic herbs, sour leaves, and bitter herbs, each with its own role in the dish. The aromatics add a pleasant fragrance to counter the gamey taste of raw meat and blood, while the sours complement the taste of laap, and aid in the digestion of uncooked meat. The bitter herbs are believed to cure a wide range of ailments.
Thus, we need to gain a little more insight into Thai traditional medicine before selecting the herbs and leaves to serve with the laap, which is based on ancient wisdom and cooking techniques that have been passed down through generations.
Laap mee is a laap that uses a generous amount of crispy ingredients. Called khreuuang mee (เครื่องหมี่), these crispy elements are often used in Northern […]
This laap dish offers a slightly different way to use the phrik laap seasoning mix. It is added to an aromatic paste made from roasted chilies, galangal, roasted shallots, and roasted garlic. The paste is enriched with coriander seeds, makwen and laap spices mix, which introduces the desired smoke and umami intensifying elements to the dish.
In the village environment, free-range chicken laap is made from a whole bird butchered and cooked on the spot. All the parts of the chicken are used, with nothing wasted or discarded. First, the meat is minced. Gradually, the still-warm chicken blood is added until the meat is saturated and becomes gooey and moist.
Duck laap, like other laap dishes, uses the whole duck, head to tail – including its meat, skin, internal organs, and bones. The recipe I provide below is modified for home-style cooking and uses duck parts; in the village environment, the duck is butchered and the bird is allowed to bleed completely, the blood is collected, and the bird is then cleaned and plucked.
Bitter buffalo laap with bile, cow’s gastric juice, and fresh blood. Buffalo meat is lean and often described as sweet.
