A Child of the Rice Fields: Recipes from Noi's Lao Kitchen - Ponpailin "Noi" Kaewduangdee & Mick Shippen

This richly informative book from the chef of the restaurant Doi Ka Noi in Vientiane, capital of Laos, is a bold achievement, beautifully photographed, passionate, uncompromising, and yet delighted to encourage your interest in Lao food.

Doi Ka Noi serves a seasonal menu of seven or eight dishes which changes daily. Founder and chef Ponpailin "Noi" (little one) Kaewduangdee knows that cooks outside Laos may not have the same ingredient access she does, but she shares recipes, technique and equipment instructions, and generous guidance on Lao flavor profiles.

A thirty-plus page section on essentials of the Lao larder will introduce you to dry-roasted sticky rice powder; chewy khao paik noodles made from rice and tapioca flour; the husks of prickly ash; butterfly pea; passionfruit tendrils; freshwater river algae; and many more items. It also provides advice on selecting fish sauces, fresh herbs and greens, root vegetables, and fruit.

There are more than 125 recipes. Some are simple preparations, such as a salad starring fermented rice noodles, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and tomatoes. Or a spicy relish prepared from charcoal-roasted chilies. But there are more ambitious dishes as well:

• Spicy chicken salad with banana flower, lemongrass, spring onion, and herbs
• Fried pork ribs with makrut lime leaves and ginger
• Stir-fried bitter gourd with egg
• Large mild chilies stuffed with fish
• Young jackfruit with spring onion, chili, mint, and roasted rice powder
• Caramelized coconut in rice flour dough

The book itself is well-produced, featuring strong photographs of preparation technique, finished dishes, and Laos and its people. At nearly 500 pages with a substantial 9¼“ x 11¼” trim size, it feels as significant in your hand as its very welcome contribution to culinary literature.