Related: full day in Luang Prabang
Getting a real taste of Laos with a cooking class is never a bad idea for food and culture lovers. If you are seeking for amazing places to experience the culture of food during your visit in big cities in Laos, this article is written for you.
Normally in the South East Asia countries, the most well-known cooking classes come from Thailand as a heaven of street food or Vietnam for its stunning cuisine which is so popular around the world. However, Laos food is proud to bear unique features that you can hardly find anywhere outsides comparing to its neighbors.
A typical Laos meal with sticky rice, lam (pork stew) and fresh veggie with herbs
“Fresh” is the most distinctive feature of Laos cuisines. Having a chance to enjoy a meal in this country, you will find it surprising that Laos meals always serve a big quantity of fresh raw vegetables and herbs making the dish green and low in fat.
One more difference that you will find it so much fun is Laotian believe that: “sweet makes you dizzy; bitter makes you healthy” so sweet flavor is considered as the most unwanted for almost dishes, meanwhile, the bitter taste can be found frequently for using mint and dill which are favorite green herbs for Laos eat.
Another distinctive characteristic of Laos food or Laos eating habit is that food is traditionally eaten with sticky rice using your fingers. The habit must be the result of the fact that food is served at the room temperature.
Although Laos has a diversity of food culture among regions due to being influenced by its neighboring countries, there are must-try dishes that you find in a cooking class:
+ Laap: a traditional Lao food made from chopped meat, chicken or fish
+ Sticky rice/ Glutinous rice
+ Tam som: a spicy papaya salad made with chilies, lime juice, peanuts, garlic and paa daek
+ Mok Pa: herbed fish steamed in banana leaves
And now the below great cooking classes will add to your list of culinary experience in South East Asia for three most famous cities in Laos: Luang Prabang, Vientiane & VangVieng
1) Bamboo Tree | Luang Prabang
- Highlights:
Since having been established in 2014, the Bamboo Tree Restaurant and Cooking class is a highly recommended school in town.
From the cute name “bamboo”, you may discover that bamboo is used in so many ways in this cooking class. Not only your kids but also you will find so amazing to join in bamboo games: making bows and arrows by bamboo, walking on bamboo sticks; creating bamboo objects/souvenirs like weaving, making coaster; preparing a bamboo meal then eating in a bamboo bowl and watching a musician play a bamboo instrument for a traditional song while dancing by bamboo. All makes the authentic and cheerful bamboo experience for the single travelers, couples, the whole family with children and your group of friends. You can see more: Indochina tours Laos
Bamboo experience workshop in the Bamboo Cooking Class
Following the same process of a typical cooking class that you meet across Asian countries, Bamboo Tree’s friendly and professional chefs will take you to the local market not to buy for a fixed set menu but to choose your own favorite dishes among a list of available 20 dishes of the cooking school. Many tourists admitted that they fall in love with laap and mok pa that they prepare by themselves under the clear and detailed instructions step by step from the sister chefs.
Such a great treat after your fun cooking time
- Location: the farmhouse is located on the outskirt of Luang Prabang, surrounded by the rice valley and the forests making the whole place a chilled site for relaxing and cooking
- Time: Morning time: 08:30 – 13:30 and Evening time: 16:00 – 20:30
- Price: 60 – 65 USD
2) Madam Phasouk Cooking Class| Vientiane
- Highlights:
Madam Phasouk cooking class is a family run class guided by Ms. Phasouk who had a 15-year experience as a cooking teacher at a hotel. People get amazed to know Ms. Phasouk is a brilliant and successful lady who can speak not only Laos, English but also Russian and French.
The experience of being welcomed at a local home like your family rather than a professional cooking school attracts many tourists coming back.
After being picked up by Ms. Phasouk at your hotel, you can start the session by visiting a wet market to get familiarized with various Laos ingredients and buy the necessary ones to fit your diet whether you are a meat lover or a vegetarian then you are fully ready to come to her home to prepare such an enjoyable meal.
Fresh vegetables and herbs you can find in any wet market of Vientiane
Ending the cooking class with a delicious meal and cultural stories, you can also bring home a note of recipe that Madame Phasouk prepares for you so that you can make Laos food when back to your country to treat your beloved like a real Laotian.
- Location: a small house near Mekong River
- Time: Lunch starts at 09:30 and Dinner starts from 15:00
- Price: 20 – 30 USD
3) Cooking Class at Organic Farm | Vang Vieng
- Highlights:
Vang Vieng is a famous stop-over point for backpackers & adventurers on their trip from Vientiane to Luang Prabang so finding a cultural place for food lovers is quite limited. However, you can still go cycling or a tuk-tuk out of town to the Organic Farm to do a cooking class using ingredients from the farm.
The relaxing surround area of Organic Farm
The farm is proud to promote the use of organic products by natural materials and traditional method to plant without chemicals. Before starting the cooking class, you can choose to explore their organic farm with a lot of fun activities to maintain or build up the farm: digging the new flower bed, goat milking, making a bamboo bench, feeding baby animals or plant mulberry trees for a healthy drink…
All class cooking ingredients used from the organic farm
With a maximum of 4 people join in the cooking class, you will have a chance to master making a meal of 3 main dishes and 1 dessert by Mr. T – the owner’s informative instruction. A warm and cozy welcome place is actually an ideal hub to escape the busy party place in Vang Vieng. If your time permits, why not trying to relax for a night and become a real farmer here?
- Location: just 5 km from the town and facing the rafting area of Nam Song River
- Time: Anytime is welcome
- Price: From 23 USD
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