Best Guide On Cooking Utensils In Lao: 30+ Words

Have you ever tried Lao cuisine? The taste of the sticky rice with fresh vegetables, fish sauce, and spicy salads can make you head over heels for the Lao cooking techniques of the local people. These delicious platters of Lao meals cannot be presented without using the indigenous kitchen utensils the locals have used for ages.

Since you are traveling to Lao very soon, this is a sign that you should learn some words about cooking utensils in Lao, such as ຟັກ (Chopstick), ປູນ (Mortar), ມີດ (Knife), etc., and make your trip smooth sailing. Knowing these words will help you understand the Lao cooking culture deeper and allow you to concoct your Lao dish like the locals. So, want to learn more? Keep reading and explore the secrets of Laotian dishes.

The Lao Cuisine: Facts And Tips

Before we hop into some Lao vocabulary on kitchen tools, let us have a quick review of Lao cuisine to make your experience at restaurants effortless.

Facts About The Lao Kitchen

The first thing you need to know about the cuisine is that Laotian dishes feature sticky rice more than any other Asian country in the world. Served sweet, fermented, and sometimes sour, sticky rice- ເຂົ້າໜຽວ (khao niew) is the national staple of Laos, and no one else on the planet consumes sticky rice as much as the Laotian people do.

If you are a fan of coffee, Laos is just the right destination for you. It is the most significant agricultural exporter of coffee (ກາ​ເຟ), and they still grow extensively throughout the country. Imagine having a cup of hot coffee made with high-quality country-grown beans, served with strong condensed milk with a mesmerizing mountain view. Fascinating, isn’t it?

One of the most famous Laotian dishes is Laap or Laab Ped. It is a spicy national dish made with meat and green herbs, topped with lime juice, and served hot with raw vegetables and sticky rice. Unlike western burgers and pizzas, Laotian dishes carry a Chinese influence by mainly serving noodles, rice, fermented fish sauce, etc. Nevertheless, French influence has also introduced sandwiches and bread to Laos, in case soupy noodles are not what you are looking for.

Laotian Dishes You Need To Try

From soup and glutinous pork rice to Lao eggplant with fresh ingredients, you will find all the flavors in the main dishes of Lao. So, here is a list of top Lao food you must try during your visit to serve your appetite with the most distinctive taste of all time.

  1. Khao Lam Bamboo Sticky Rice (Traditional steamed rice in a bamboo tube)
  2. Khaipen With Jaew Bong (Fried Seaweed sauteed with chilly paste)
  3. Laap (Sliced meat or fish flavored with lime and onion)
  4. Tam mak hoong (A famous papaya dish served with sticky rice)
  5. Khao Piak Sen (Thick meaty rice noodles)
  6. Beer Lao (Traditional beer made with rice)
  7. Lao Hai (Jar Liquor)

Cooking Utensils In Lao: Must-Have Tools

Southeast Asia Food - Cooking Utensils In Lao

Now we will dive into the words and uses of traditional tools in the Lao kitchen. Later on, we will discover other devices we commonly see in every household with proper Lao and English translations to enhance your vocabulary. So, let’s get started.

1. ປູນ & ແມງສາບ (Mortar And Pestle)

The first most crucial utensil used to concoct dishes of Laotian cuisine is Mortar- ປູນ (pun) and Pestle- ແມງສາບ (aemng sab). You can also call it ຄົກ- khok and ສາກ- saak, respectivelyA mortar and pestle is a crucial kitchen tool that helps make side dishes like hummus, guacamole, and spice powder. The Lao kitchen has been using it for hundreds of years, and locals use it to mix the spices, blend them, and add flavor to traditional items like soups, sauce, and even meat gravy.

Fun fact: Most utensils used in Laotian cuisine also account for equal importance when making Thai food. If you want to learn about the Thai language and cuisine, head to Ling App.

2. ເຕົາອົບ (Rice Steamer)

The next must-have kitchen utensil in Laos is a rice steamer, called ເຕົາອົບ (tao ob). How do you plan to make the delicious sweet sticky rice if you do not have a rice steamer? Mainly bamboo steamer known as ຫວດ (Haud) is used to make sticky rice in Laos as they soak moisture well, and it has been used as a tradition for years. The tall rice pot- ຫມໍ້ເຂົ້າ (mo khao) or ໝໍ້ໜຶ້ງ (mo nung) is a part of the steamer that you must have to make cooking easy.

You will also see bamboo containers ຖັງໄມ້ໄຜ່ (thang maiphai) that is used to store sticky rice. Instead of plastic containers, Laotian locals believe in the supremacy of traditional bamboo steamers and holding baskets that work much better than any other.

3. ກະດານຕັດ (Cutting Board)

Just like any other day in a week, a ກະດານຕັດ (kadan tad) in Laotian cuisine is an inevitable tool that you cannot miss. From cutting papaya for Tam mak hoong to slicing meat for Laap, a cutting board can make cooking more comfortable and much safer.

All essential ingredient mashup takes place on a cutting board. It is not only valuable for various recipes of Laotian cuisine but also in every other cuisine of the world. So, it was needed to add it to the list.

4. ລາບ (Ladle)

Another important tool you need to make bowls of Lao dishes is a ຈອງ- lab or jawng. As you know, it is a big spoon with a long handle that helps prepare food in large bowls. Especially in Laos, where locals prepare meals for large families like Soup bowls, meat curries, or even Khaipe, it can become a hassle if one uses a small spoon or spatula instead of a ladle.

However, smaller-sized spoons are also used when topping a meal with fresh vegetables to add flavors or pouring a small portion of soup from the pot into the bowl. The Lao kitchen is filled with different utensils that you will find baffling.

5. ມີດແກະສະຫຼັກ (Carving Knife)

Whereas European countries must have a bread knife, a Carving knife or mid kae sarak acts the same for a Laos Kitchen. As mentioned earlier, Laotian cuisine is filled with meat dishes. From chicken to pork, you will find different kinds of meat lovers items that can make any non-vegetarian foodie filled with happiness. So, to make slicing and carving thin meat pieces easy, a mid kae sarak becomes necessary in the kitchen.

Lao people also have a collection of carving knives with unique designs and materials. Some are also shaped differently and pointer than usual carving knives in the markets.

6. ການກັ່ນຕອງອາຫານ (Food Filter)

Another very essential tool used to make food in Laos is a ການກັ່ນຕອງອາຫານ (kan kan tong ahan) or ກະຊອນ (gasaan). It is mainly used to drain water from boiled rice or other dishes and filter broth and sauces. Since soups and broth make up a large part of Laotian cuisine, it is essential that the sauce or the soup is clear of any unwanted stuff and that only essential ingredient is present. Even Lao traditional drinks and coffee making require a filter. So, it is impossible not to have a food filter while making Lao dishes.

7. ວອກ (Wok)

One of the most prominent influences of China on Laos can be seen in the use of a Wok. Primarily used in making noodles and fried rice, nothing can beat the potency of a Wok and its consistency. Even in the streets, you will find many vendors cooking with woks and selling noodle soups and fried noodles at the lowest prices.

Different Cooking Utensils In Lao

Cooking Utensils In Lao

In this section, we will discover all the utensils that we see in a conventional kitchen. Read them to increase your vocabulary in the Lao language.

Vocabulary A-F

EnglishLaoPronunciation
Baking panຖາດອົບthad ob
Basterບາສເຕີba s toe
Blenderເຄື່ອງປັ່ນkheuong pan
Basketກະຕ່າkata
Barbecue grillປີ້ງບາບີຄິວping ba bi khiv
Bottle openerເຄື່ອງເປີດຂວດkheuong poed khuad
Bowlໂຖoth
Cleaverຖາດthad
Coffee potຫມໍ້ກາເຟmo kafe
Chopsticksຟັກfak
Cutleryເຄື່ອງຕັດໄມ້kheuong tadmai
Dutch ovenເຕົາອົບໂຮນລັງtao ob ohn lang
Egg ringsແຫວນໄຂ່aevn khai
Forkສ້ອມsom
Frying panຂົ້ວkhov
Food scaleຂະໜາດອາຫານkhanad ahan
Funnelຊ່ອງທາງsongthang
Fruit bowlໂຖປັດສະວະຫມາກoth pad sauaa mak

Vocabulary G-O

EnglishLaoPronunciation
Grill panປີ້ງແຊ່ping aes
Glassແກ້ວaekv
Garlic pressກະທຽມກົດkathiam kod
Grinderເຄື່ອງປັ່ນkheuong pan
Hand mixerເຄື່ອງປະສົມມືkheuong pasom mu
Ice bucketຖັງນ້ຳກ້ອນthang nam kon
Jar openerເຄື່ອງເປີດກະປ໋ອງkheuong poed kapong
Juicerເຄື່ອງປັ່ນນໍ້າkheuong pan noa
Kettleເຕົາtao
Kitchen scissorsມີດຕັດເຮືອນຄົວmidtad heuonkhua
Kitchen foilfoil ເຮືອນຄົວfoil heuonkhua
Lidຝາປິດfa pid
Microwaveໄມໂຄເວຟmaiokh ve f
Measuring cupຈອກວັດແທກchok vadaethk
Moldແມ່ພິມaem phim
Mixing bowlຖ້ວຍປະສົມthuany pasom
Nutcrackerໝາກນັດmaknad
Oven mittເຕົາອົບtao ob

Vocabulary P-Z

EnglishLaoPronunciation
Peelerປອກເປືອກpok peuok
Pastry cutterເຄື່ອງຕັດເຂົ້າ ໜົມ ປັງkheuongtadkhao nom pang
Pie panຖາດເຂົ້າຫນົມthad khaonom
Pressure cookerຫມໍ້ຫຸງຕົ້ມmo hung tom
Platterຈານchan
Pot holdersຜູ້ຖືຫມໍ້phu thu mo
Roasting panເຕົາອົບtao ob
Rolling pinເຂັມມ້ວນkhem muan
Refrigeratorຕູ້ເຢັນtu yen
Roasterເຕົາອົບtao ob
Salad bowlຖ້ວຍສະຫຼັດthuany sarad
Skewerໄມ້ສຽບmai siab
Spoonບ່ວງbuang
Spatulaໄມ້ຖູ່mai thu
Skilletຝີມືfimu
Steak knifeມີດສະເຕັກmid sa tek
Stoveເຕົາtao
Strainerເຄື່ອງຂັດkheuong khad
Tongsຕົງtong
Teapotຊາsa
Whiskພິກphik
Zesterເຊສເຕີses toe

Kitchen Phrases To Practice In Lao

EnglishLaoPronunciation
Can you pass me the rice pot?ເຈົ້າສາມາດເອົາຫມໍ້ເຂົ້າໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ບໍ?chao samadoao mo khao haikhony daibo
Mix the ingredients properlyປົນສ່ວນປະກອບຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງpon suanpakob yangthuktong
Fry the meat for 5 minutesຈືນຊີ້ນ 5 ນາທີchunsin 5 nathi
Be careful with the steamerຈົ່ງລະມັດລະວັງກັບ steamer ໄດ້chong lamadlavangkab steamer dai
Keep the sticky rice in the bamboo basketເກັບເຂົ້າໜຽວໃສ່ກະຕ່າໄມ້ໄຜ່keb khaoniav sai kata maiphai
Cook the rice for 10 minutesແຕ່ງກິນເຂົ້າ 10 ນາທີaetngkinkhao 10 nathi
Use the carving knife to slice the muttonໃຊ້ມີດແກະສະຫຼັກເພື່ອຊອຍຊີ້ນແກະsai mid kae sarak pheu sony sin kae
Do you have a ladle?ເຈົ້າມີຫີບບໍ?chao mi hib bo
Keep the rice pot warmຮັກສາຫມໍ້ເຂົ້າໃຫ້ອົບອຸ່ນhaksa mo khao hai obun
Where do you cook the chicken?ເຈົ້າແຕ່ງໄກ່ຢູ່ໃສ?chao aetng kai yusai

Over To You

Are you enjoying the vocabulary lesson? If yes, it is a sign that you can discover more. Knowing a few facts and words in the native language can help you make the right decisions at the correct time. From choosing the suitable food in the cafe to cooking your Laotian dish yourself, you unlock a power that will bring in a lot of local comforts.

To improve further, you can sign in to Ling App. Download it free from the AppStore or Playstore and start learning Lao immediately!

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Lao side dish

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Ling is one of the most easy-to-use and versatile apps that provides language content on topics such as emergency phrases, names for colors, common vocab, and even family words. You can read all these words and phrases through our in-app lessons or take advantage of the videos, audio, and pictures we have on this site. If you want to learn more languages, you can easily do so with Ling. The app covers more than 60 languages; all you have to do is sign in and use it on your chosen device. So, what are you waiting for? Download and learn Lao today!

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