I love cooking as well. I tried to master our traditional cooking so far so good. The only dish I still have issue with is "Au Laum". I can never perfect it. I put all the identical ingredients my mom showed me, still does not taste like hers. I'll figure it out in due time.
The Sai Ooah or Sai Gok (Lao sausage). I think have perfected it, I tried the ones in Laos and here in the states, it just does not compare. I think mine is supreme.
The wonderful thing about our tradition/culture is we cook every single day and night and the outcome is so amazing. In Thailand their som tom for example contains palm sugar, fish sauce, shrimp, shrimp paste and chilli peppers not particular my favorite. I think it's too basic. Our tom mok huon (papaya salad) on the other hand is still the best. We can add so many things to it and the flavor remains intact and unique. I mean adding shrimp paste is good too, but it doesn't compare to crab paste or nam ba dak.