CLEARWATER, Fla. — The country of Laos celebrates the Buddhist New Year in April each year. 

Events take place throughout the month honoring the holiday, with a three-day festival from April 14 to April 17 this year.

What You Need To Know

  •  Chang Mai Thai & Sushi Bar in Clearwater offering dishes from Laos

  •  Owner/Chefs sharing recipes from their Lao families

  •  Laos celebrates Buddhist New Year in April

  • Green Papaya salad requires fermented fish sauce for true Lao taste, according to Chefs Nola and Soney Louvon

 

The Southeast Asia country is represented right here in the Tampa Bay area at Chang Mai Thai & Sushi Bar. Laos native Nola Louvon is one of the owners of Chang Mai, along with her Lao American husband Soney Louvon.

And for the first time, they are offering their own country’s recipes—like the Green Papaya Salad.
They tell us they are proud to share their culture through food they grew up eating every day.

Chefs Nola and Soney share with us the recipe of their families.

Green Papaya Salad
(in order of appearance)
1-4 -Thai Bird's-eye chili (mild, med, hot, Lao hot)
1 tbsp sugar
(optional) ¼ tsp MSG
5 cherry tomatoes (Chef Nola says you can sub in other types, same amount)
(optional) 2 oz green bean
(optional) 2 Lao eggplants
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp fermented fish sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
4 oz shredded green papaya
(optional)1 oz shredded carrot

Chef Nola uses a mortar and pestle to combine the ingredients.
Chilis go first, ground well, along with the sugar and optional MSG.

Vegetables go in next, except for shredded papaya and optional shredded carrots. They should get a lighter pounding than chillis. (You want to see pieces that would make little bites for later)
Next, mix in the lime juice, fish sauce, shrimp paste and fermented fish sauce.

The fermented fish sauce is what makes this a Lao dish. The shredded papaya should go in last, along with the optional carrot if desired.

Chef Nola’s Note:
“Play with levels to your preference, more/less lime, sugar, shrimp paste to effect sour, sweetness and umami flavors.”

Finally, Chef Soney adds a piece of protein to the perfect bite of rice, salad and protein. Look for sweet and spicy sausages and jerkies to compliment the salad.

Chef Nola says pork rinds are one of the condiments on the table that will add a crunchy texture to your little bite.


Happy New Year!
Sabaidee pi mai Lao!