Gaeng Nor Mai | Lao Bamboo Stew
This is my gaeng nor mai recipe! Gaeng means stew and nor mai means bamboo. It is a traditional Lao stew known for its earthy green flavors. The taste comes from the fresh bamboo shoots, yanang extract, and lots of green herbs. When this comes hot off the stove, it pairs perfectly with warm sticky rice.
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ⅓ cup dry sticky rice, rinse and soak
- 1 tbsp water
- ¼ cup lemongrass
- 4 fresh bird eye chili peppers
- ¼ cup small shallot, minced
- 4 cups water
- 1lb pork belly
- 1lb pork spareribs
- 14oz yanang extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 stalks lemongrass, outerstalks
- 2 cup woodear mushroom
- 1 cup precooked shredded bamboo
- 1 cup kabocha squash, cubed
- 1 cup okra (10 whole pieces)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp padaek
- ½ handful climbing wattle leaves
- 2 cups Rice patty herb or sweet basil
- 4 spring onions, only the green part
Instructions
- 1
Peel layers off of fresh bamboo and cut into thin slices then simmer for 45 minutes.
- 2
Mash the peppers and soaked sticky rice in the mortar and pestle. Add a splash of water to help it become a paste.
- 3
Boil a pot of water, and parboil the spare ribs for 5 minutes.
- 4
In a soup pot, spareribs, pork belly, lemongrass bundle, water, and yanang extract, pork belly, spareribs, and crushed lemongrass. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 mins with a lid.
- 5
Add the wood ear mushrooms, cooked bamboo, cubed kabocha squash, okra and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 6
Add fish sauce, padaek, and the rice paste to the simmering soup for 10 mins
- 7
At the end, add the climbing wattle leaves and rice patty herbs and cook for 5 mins and serve