Or Lam

What it really is

Or lam is a slow-simmered Lao stew associated especially with Luang Prabang. Meat and vegetables cook with herbs and the gently numbing aroma of sakhan, a native wood-pepper vine; recipes may use buffalo, beef, chicken or other local ingredients.

The stew is thickened in some versions with mashed sticky rice and commonly includes aubergine, mushrooms, lemongrass and dill. Sakhan gives it a distinctive warm, peppery character. Household and regional recipes differ, so this entry describes a representative meat-based preparation rather than a fixed formula.

Or lam is often associated with Luang Prabang, and its identity depends on the combination of meat, vegetables, herbs and sakhan. The wood-pepper vine gives a warm, gently numbing character that differs from ordinary black pepper. Aubergine, mushrooms, lemongrass and dill are common in descriptions, while some versions use mashed sticky rice to thicken the broth. Protein choice is flexible: buffalo, beef, duck and other meats appear in household versions. Serve it as a thick stew with sticky rice. Padaek or fish sauce can contribute savory depth, but it should be confirmed because fish is a priority allergen. Sakhan is not yet a catalog ingredient, so this record keeps its name in the prose rather than pretending a generic pepper key captures it. Household recipes vary, and no single formula applies to every Luang Prabang kitchen. A broth that is too thin may no longer resemble the thick representative form described here.

The figures are low-confidence estimates per 100 g of a representative beef-and-vegetable stew. Padaek or fish sauce is common in savory versions, so fish is listed; check the actual kitchen recipe. Values are not laboratory measurements.

How it's served

• Serve hot as a main dish, often with sticky rice.
• Keep the broth relatively thick and let the herbs and sakhan season the meat and vegetables.

How to write it on the menu

This entry models a beef preparation, so the menu must identify the kitchen’s chosen meat.