If you take a look at most of Chef Seng’s dishes, you notice right away how herbs, spices and plenty of vegetables are part of, if not, the main course.  Steamed, fried, raw, pickled, are a few delicious ways to try vegetables, depending on your taste. We asked Chef Seng a couple of questions on what vegetables represented Lao flavors. Pictured above, we know that kaffir lime leaves and ginger are some known flavor profiles for Lao food. This is what she responded:

“Back in laos we have garden back on the front yard just like here, we had so many kind of vegetables and fruits: asian guard, pumpkin, egg plants, chilies, tomato, lettuce, mustard, spinach, mint, cilantro, scallion, lemongrass, dill, ginger, galangal, lime, papaya, coconuts and more.  Away from home my grandparents had fruit plantation with mango, pineapple, banana, coconut, papaya, longan and more also.

We picked most vegetables everyday to eat raw: pumpkin, gourd, Spanish mustard; we would steam and eat with many dipping sauces like roasted chili tomato sauce or pounded fish sauce were some of our favorites.

Most vegetables and herbs can be found here in the United States.  Back home we ate more vegetables than meat, every meal has so many different kinds, fresh and steamed, it wouldn’t be a complete meal for us without vegetables.”

Ginger leaves and thai eggplants are some unique vegetables and herbs included in Chef Seng’s signature dishes