Mae’s Jeow Bong | Lao Spicy Dipping Sauce
The most fiery Asian dipping sauce for sticky rice. Its called jeow bong, the number one requested Lao dipping sauce on my website. It’s bold, it’s savory, and it goes perfectly with sticky rice and Lao jerky. This isn’t your regular sauce. With tender cow skin for texture and a bright mix of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors, jeow bong is the kind of sauce that can turn sticky rice into a whole meal.
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 ounces cow skin
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- 4 cups whole dried bird’s eye chilies
- 5 large shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup galangal, minced
- 6 large lime leaves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp MSG
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cow skin: Using an open flame, burn the hair side of the cow skin until most of the hair is removed. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Add the lemongrass stalk and the cow skin. Cover, reduce to medium-low, and simmer for 60 minutes. Remove the cow skin and let it cool to room temperature. Trim off the fat layer from the underside, then slice into ½-inch pieces and cut those pieces into thin strips. Set aside.
- 2
Prepare the chili mixture: If using whole dried chilies, grind them in a food processor. In a large bowl, combine the ground chilies, shallots, garlic, galangal, lime leaves, and salt. Mix well.
- 3
Cook the chili mixture: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the chili mixture and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 12-15 minutes, or until the mixture turns a vibrant dark red.
- 4
Drain the oil: Transfer the mixture into a strainer placed over a large bowl. Let it drain and cool for about 30 minutes. As it cools, press out or spoon off as much excess oil as possible.
- 5
Make the paste: Transfer the chili mixture to a mortar and pound into a paste. If you want it smoother, pulse it in a food processor before returning it to the mortar. Season the paste with sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, and MSG. Mix well. Add 1 tablespoon of the drained chili oil back into the paste for richness.
- 6
Finish the dish: Add the sliced cow skin to the mortar and mix until everything is well combined. Enjoy with sticky rice.