Welcome to the launch of our first ever volume of Kitsby's Lunar New Year community cookbook featuring recipes from our AAPI foodie network! The themes we wanted to shine through this project are how incredibly diverse our AAPI community is, and community - none of what we do here at Kitsby would exist without the support of our friends, family, neighbors, and beyond.
Many of us, who help to actively build the growing AAPI network that we have today, share roots in points of common nostalgia, which is exactly why we wanted this project to feature the nostalgia dish (the dish that transports you back to your roots) of each partner in a cookbook-format!
Meet Ae Southammavong of StirFryMaster:
Chef Ae is a self-taught chef inspired by sharing the flavors of Southeast Asia. Born and raised in Vientiane, Laos, she began playing around in the kitchen with her parents at the tender age of 10 and fell in love with cooking since. Food is the ultimate love language for Chef Ae, with her passion is to share Lao food and culture with the world.
She runs a meal prep company called StirFryMaster in San Diego and hosts intimate private dinners to showcase Southeast Asian flavors. You can find her cooking up Lao food on her Instagram (+75K) & TikTok (+400K) at @aebaybayy. You can also watch her as a contestant on Gordon Ramsey’s Next Level Chef, Season 1.
Laab is an herby, aromatic meat salad that is very popular in Southeast Asia (claimed as the official national dish!) Laab holds most of the key ingredients in Lao cuisine, from pungent padeak (fermented fish sauce) to the many fresh regional herbs. The star of the dish is hands down the roasted rice powder, which gives the earthy, nutty flavor to the dish. The combo of fresh herbs, spicy chili peppers, and zesty lime with the savory fish sauce will take your tastebuds on an exciting,flavorful journey, igniting my childhood nostalgia in your mind & heart.
Pork Laab
- Servings
- 2-3 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb Minced pork
- 2 tbsp Uncooked glutinous rice (sticky rice)
- 2 Shallots, sliced
- 1 tbsp Padaek (fermented fish sauce)
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Sweetener
- 1 Lime, squeezed
- 1-2 tbsp Red chili flakes
- 2 Thai chili peppers, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup Green onion, chopped
- ½ cup Mint leaves
- ½ cup Cilantro, chopped
Steps
- In a dry pan over medium to low heat, toast the uncooked rice and stir occasionally until rice starts to turn golden and the aromatics start to release (8-10 minutes).
- Transfer rice grains to mortar and pestle and grind the rice until it turns into powder form. Sniff the fragrant atmosphere, smile, and put aside.
- In a wok, over medium to high heat with neutral oil, add the minced pork. Stir occasionally until pork is fully cooked (10-12 mins).
- To the pork, add your roasted rice powder, sweetener, and fish sauce. Mix everything together, and then turn off the heat.
- With the meat mix still in the wok and the fire off, add padaek, lime juice, shallot, red chili flakes, and all three herbs–green onion, mint, and cilantro. (Having the fire off will keep the herbs raw and fresh!)
- Toss everything in wok and taste. Add additional seasonings to your liking! Add thai chili peppers for extra spice, optional of course!
- Enjoy this with sticky rice, jasmine rice, or even lettuce wraps! So flavorful and will get you doing the food wiggle after every bite!
