Khao Lad (Lao Rice Porridge with Herbs)

About This Recipe

Khao lad — Lao rice porridge — is the ultimate comfort food of Laos: plain rice slow-cooked in pork or chicken broth until the grains dissolve into a silky, soothing porridge that becomes a blank canvas for toppings. Unlike the denser Chinese congee (jook), Lao khao lad tends to be lighter and more broth-forward, and it is always served with a constellation of fresh garnishes: crispy fried garlic in oil, sliced fresh ginger, scallions, cilantro, dried chili flakes, a soft-boiled or poached egg, and often a small bowl of fermented fish sauce for individual seasoning. It is the breakfast of grandmothers, the food prescribed after illness, the meal cooked for new mothers in the weeks after birth. Vendors selling khao lad from pushcarts set up before dawn throughout Vientiane and Luang Prabang, ladling bowls into the hands of monks, students, and market workers heading into the early morning.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 200 gjasmine rice (or broken rice for faster cooking)
• 1.5 literspork or chicken broth
• 500 mlwater
• 200 gpork or chicken, poached and shredded
• 4 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
• 3 cmfresh ginger, peeled and julienned
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 4eggs, soft-boiled (6 minutes) or poached
• 3scallions, sliced
• 1 handfulfresh cilantro
• 1 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tbspchili flakes, for serving
• 1 tbspfermented fish sauce (padaek) or extra fish sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the porridge

   Combine rice, broth, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring once. Reduce to a medium-low simmer and cook uncovered for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice breaks down into a smooth, creamy porridge.

   Broken rice cooks to a smooth porridge in 30 minutes versus 60 for whole grains. Both are excellent.

2. 2

   Make crispy garlic oil

   Heat oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and fry gently 3-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon. Reserve both the crispy garlic and the fragrant oil separately.

3. 3

   Season the porridge

   Add fish sauce and white pepper to the porridge. Taste and adjust — porridge should be delicately seasoned; individual bowls will be seasoned further at the table.

4. 4

   Assemble bowls

   Ladle porridge into deep bowls. Top with shredded pork or chicken, a soft-boiled egg halved, julienned ginger, scallions, and cilantro. Drizzle garlic oil over the top and scatter crispy garlic pieces.

5. 5

   Serve with condiments

   Serve chili flakes and padaek (or fish sauce) on the side for individual seasoning.

Variations

• •

  Khao lad moo (pork khao lad): topped with minced pork cooked in garlic and soy sauce rather than shredded poached pork.

• •

  Khao lad kai (chicken khao lad): the most common version throughout Laos.

Storage

Porridge thickens significantly on refrigeration. Thin with broth or water when reheating on the stovetop, stirring constantly. Keeps up to 3 days refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions