Produced this last weekend and have been eating it for the last 3 days with kow niew and jeow.

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Looking good. That's good with sticky rice and papaya salad.
:P :)

That's a lot of meat.

It's good to eat when food is scarce, especially in the countryside.

PEACE wrote on 11^th Mar, 2011 at 6:46pm:

Produced this last weekend and have been eating it for the last 3 days with kow niew and jeow.

Over here we "cage" ours. Aren't there flies where you stay? (I have already made clear my contempt for flies, to do so here would be redundant).

I don't think I need to say what my favourite dish is, do I? My name speaks for itself, doesn't it?

I try to make sin hang couple of time before, but it doesn't tast that good. I have beef jerky net to dry it outside. I love all Lao food.
:)

Any Lao food for me, but "larp dip" (raw meat salad for non-Lao speakers).

It's raw and unhealthy.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 1:43am:

Any Lao food for me, but "larp dip" (raw meat salad for non-Lao speakers). It's raw and unhealthy.

Oh yeah I forgot. I do not eat Laap dip, blood, fish or beef. I don't like the way raw meat taste. I need mine cook but medium.
::) :o

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 1:43am:

Any Lao food for me, but "larp dip" (raw meat salad for non-Lao speakers). It's raw and unhealthy.

I (and my whole extended family) can't get enough of the "Larp Dip!" The more blood dripping, he more energetic I feel. "Larp Paa" is good too! (Lao sushi). I always thought "Larp" was the national dish, as it's very popular, especially among the peasant class.

How do you know it's unhealthy? I have never gotten sick from "Larb" nor sick of "Larb". Nor have I heard of anyone that has.  :P

The only raw fish I like to eat is Japanese food Sushi.
8-) ::)

Well, I've seen people who eat "larp dip" take regular toilet visits.

Raw meat will produce some kind of bad bacteria in your system, but I guess if you eat it once in a while then it shouldn't be a major problem. A fresh kill is more safer to eat than meat older than a week.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 8:19am:

Well, I've seen people who eat "larp dip" take regular toilet visits. Raw meat will produce some kind of bad bacteria in your system, but I guess if you eat it once in a while then it shouldn't be a major problem. A fresh kill is more safer to eat than meat older than a week.

We eat larb every second day almost. (Everyday, if there are left- overs).

As for the hygiene standards in Laos, I think we have already touched on this subject. Lets leave it at that.

How do you justify "bad bacteria in system". How do you "know" this?
I'm starting to get paranoid now. Really.

Okay, I'll leave it at that because it's your body, and not mine.

There's no doctor in this world who will advise you to go out there and eat as much "larp dip" as you can because it's "healthy" for you.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 9:42am:

Okay, I'll leave it at that because it's your body, and not mine. There's no doctor in this world who will advise you to go out there and eat as much "larp dip" as you can because it's "healthy" for you.

Larb dip forever in my system.

I am in Houston, Texas and it gets very hot and humid 9 months out of a year so timing is everything to make sin hang and it is more necessary to hang the meat outside and let the sun dry the meat better.  I have to make sin hang only during winter when the weather here is dry and cool (60 degrees day and 35 degree night and relatively dry).  No 'cage' necessary when it is that cool in Texas and thererfore no flies.  But occasionally there are bees hovering around I think it is because I have included honey as part of the ingredients.


Larb Dip wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 12:29am:

PEACE wrote on 11th Mar, 2011 at 6:46pm: Produced this last weekend and have been eating it for the last 3 days with kow niew and jeow. Over here we "cage" ours. Aren't there flies where you stay? (I have already made clear my contempt for flies, to do so here would be redundant). I don't think I need to say what my favourite dish is, do I? My name speaks for itself, doesn't it?

It all depends on your taste bud.  Personally I like mine sweet.  I normally use these to marinate with the sliced meat: honey, crushed lemon grass, lotsa crushed garlics, a little bit of lime juice and of course Fish sauce.  What did U use for marinate?


llX wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 1:28am:

I try to make sin hang couple of time before, but it doesn't tast that good. I have beef jerky net to dry it outside. I love all Lao food. :)

I love larp dip very much especially when spleen juice is added in the mix but I have to cook my in a frying pan for a minute before I eat it just to warm it up and hopefully killed something on the outside before I ingest to my system.


Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 1:43am:

Any Lao food for me, but "larp dip" (raw meat salad for non-Lao speakers). It's raw and unhealthy.

Do not forget 'Dancing Shrimp' too! OK my mouth is watering now for dancing shrimp :P


llX wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 6:46am:

The only raw fish I like to eat is Japanese food Sushi. 8-) ::)

That sound good too. :P :o ::)


PEACE wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 11:29am:

Do not forget 'Dancing Shrimp' too! OK my mouth is watering now for dancing shrimp :P llX wrote on 12th Mar, 2011 at 6:46am: The only raw fish I like to eat is Japanese food Sushi. 8-) ::)

PEACE wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 11:27am:

I love larp dip very much especially when spleen juice is added in the mix but I have to cook my in a frying pan for a minute before I eat it just to warm it up and hopefully killed something on the outside before I ingest to my system. Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12th Mar, 2011 at 1:43am: Any Lao food for me, but "larp dip" (raw meat salad for non-Lao speakers). It's raw and unhealthy.

The spleen juice (pee) is very good. It gives it a bitter taste.
If youhave to "cook" yours, then it is no longer "larb 'dip'". :-*

It's still "larp dip" if you cook something for a minute.

"Larp dip" doesn't necessarily mean that all the ingredients are 100% raw. Some people cook some internal organs briefly then they are mixed with raw meat.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 10:47pm:

It's still "larp dip" if you cook something for a minute. "Larp dip" doesn't necessarily mean that all the ingredients are 100% raw. Some people cook some internal organs briefly then they are mixed with raw meat.

A"minute" is a long time.

The only variety of "Larb" that I know of that isn't "dip" is: "Larb Kai". "Larb kai" is very nice too. (They all are). Unless if you want to invite in salmonella, then suit yourselves and prepare it "dip".

The interior of the meat is still raw if you cook it briefly.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 12:29am:

The interior of the meat is still raw if you cook it briefly.

Do you even know how to prepare "larb", since it disgust you?

You're still here. I thought you were leaving us.

At no stage did I say that "larp" disgusts me. I just don't like to eat it raw, that's all.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 2:45am:

You're still here. I thought you were leaving us. At no stage did I say that "larp" disgusts me. I just don't like to eat it raw, that's all.

I missed you. I was starting to think that you enjoyed my company too. Why leave?

So back to the REAL question, please.
Can you a man any form of "Larb" or not?

No, I don't bother cooking in Laos when you can order "larp" for as little as 3000 kip (40 US cents) to feed one person.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 6:45am:

No, I don't bother cooking in Laos when you can order "larp" for as little as 3000 kip (40 US cents) to feed one person.

What a joke! How does ANYONE in Laos make any profit? You're not going to sit there and tell me it co$t 20c to buy the meat, are you? Charging another measly 20c for labour is pathetic! Now I know why Laos is poor! No self worth!

They make a lot of "larp" and keep it in a big tray, which is enough for probably 50 customers. If it's empty, they'll make more to sell.

They also sell many varieties of food, and not just "larp" so they make profit at the end of the day.

I'm still shaking my head in amazement! Tourist have alot of money to spend! I'm not talking about hiking prices to a western standard here, more to a respectable price.

::SHAKING MY HEAD IN AMAZEMENT::

Tourists eat in restaurants, where "larp" is much dearer.

I'm talking about "larp" on the streets and markets, that generally cater locals. If they're too expensive then locals can't afford to buy them.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 7:35am:

Tourists eat in restaurants, where "larp" is much dearer. I'm talking about "larp" on the streets and markets, that generally cater locals. If they're too expensive then locals can't afford to buy them.

Okay, I see. So they do know how the world works after all. ;D

How much do they make (profit) a day? How much is cosidered a "killing" over there?

Profit varies from business to business. They're not going to tell you and I, how much they make a day.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 8:35am:

Profit varies from business to business. They're not going to tell you and I, how much they make a day.

Did you ask?

Lao aren't like our western counterparts. If you really want to know then ask. They are usually frank. (This, you can take me at my word for, "nang".) But with Lao-being-Lao, most aren't that courageous.

Even if you ask, they'll tell you that they don't make much. They don't want any competition.

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 8:47am:

Even if you ask, they'll tell you that they don't make much. They don't want any competition.

I'm not talking about asking in tandem while making your order. With an issue as sensitive as this, you need to ease your way in. If it is a store that you frequent (especially if you small-talk the owner on a regular basis) then you could probably get at least a answer.
We are talking about our beloved Laos here, are we not? Has it changed so much. so recently, that the "kinship" that we once abided by has been thrown-out in favour of money?

Some days they will make little profit, and other days a lot of profit. It's not like a normal job where you have a fixed salary.

Maybe ask for their monthly profit is the best way to go, but even that will vary because their business may perform better during the dry than wet season.

It is all relative my friend.  With the 'capitalistic' mentality that has just started recently in Laos, costs of everything (products...labour...services)  will go up significantly fast.  Therefore larp dip from the local restaurant will tripple in a couple years and not be $0.40/person.


Larb Dip wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 6:51am:

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13th Mar, 2011 at 6:45am: No, I don't bother cooking in Laos when you can order "larp" for as little as 3000 kip (40 US cents) to feed one person. What a joke! How does ANYONE in Laos make any profit? You're not going to sit there and tell me it co$t 20c to buy the meat, are you? Charging another measly 20c for labour is pathetic! Now I know why Laos is poor! No self worth!

Admin Saovaluck wrote on 13^th Mar, 2011 at 9:23am:

Some days they will make little profit, and other days a lot of profit. It's not like a normal job where you have a fixed salary. Maybe ask for their monthly profit is the best way to go, but even that will vary because their business may perform better during the dry than wet season.

Did you 'ask' already 'nang', because that was really swift.

PEACE wrote on 12^th Mar, 2011 at 11:22am:

It all depends on your taste bud.  Personally I like mine sweet.  I normally use these to marinate with the sliced meat: honey, crushed lemon grass, lotsa crushed garlics, a little bit of lime juice and of course Fish sauce.  What did U use for marinate? llX wrote on 12th Mar, 2011 at 1:28am: I try to make sin hang couple of time before, but it doesn't tast that good. I have beef jerky net to dry it outside. I love all Lao food. :)

You forgot the make or break ingrediant: "khao kua!".

'khao kua' will be too gritty for me personally.  I prefer my meat to be 'sweet and smooth'  ::)

Larb Dip wrote on 14^th Mar, 2011 at 3:40am:

PEACE wrote on 12th Mar, 2011 at 11:22am: It all depends on your taste bud.  Personally I like mine sweet.  I normally use these to marinate with the sliced meat: honey, crushed lemon grass, lotsa crushed garlics, a little bit of lime juice and of course Fish sauce.  What did U use for marinate? llX wrote on 12th Mar, 2011 at 1:28am: I try to make sin hang couple of time before, but it doesn't tast that good. I have beef jerky net to dry it outside. I love all Lao food. :) You forgot the make or break ingrediant: "khao kua!".