Sweet sticky rice mixed with coconut milk and black beans, packed into bamboo tubes and roasted over a slow fire until the rice is infused with smoky bamboo flavor. A traditional dessert and snack found at markets throughout Laos.
Nutrition & Info
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Drain the soaked sticky rice and mix with coconut milk, palm sugar, salt, and cooked black beans.
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2
Pack the rice mixture into bamboo tubes, filling to about three quarters to allow for expansion.
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3
Plug the open ends with banana leaf strips, pressing firmly to seal.
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4
Roast the bamboo tubes over a low charcoal fire for ninety minutes, turning regularly to ensure even cooking.
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5
Allow to cool slightly, then crack open the bamboo tubes to reveal the cooked rice cylinder.
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6
Slice into rounds and serve warm or at room temperature as a sweet snack.
Did You Know?
The bamboo tube imparts a subtle green tea-like flavor to the rice that is impossible to replicate in any other cooking vessel, making this dish a true product of the forest.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- bamboo tubes
- charcoal fire pit
The Story Behind Khao Lam
Khao Lam represents one of the oldest cooking methods in Southeast Asia, using bamboo as both vessel and flavor source. Laotian villagers have been packing sticky rice into bamboo tubes for centuries, roasting them over slow fires while tending to other tasks. The technique transforms simple ingredients into a complex dessert with layers of smoky, sweet, and coconut flavors.
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