Thom khem is a rich and fragrant Vietnamese stew made with pork shoulder and a blend of aromatic spices. This dish features a creamy coconut milk base balanced with the umami of fish sauce and the sweetness of brown sugar, offering a sweet and savory flavor profile. Here's how to prepare it at home.

Thom khem

Vegetable Kua Khao

Chicken Kua Mee

Steamed Jasmine Rice

Chicken breast, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, and Lao house dressing.

Lao Salad

Vegetable Stir Fry

Marinated and dried Lao style beef jerky.

Beef Jerky with Sticky Rice

Minced beef or chicken salad with roasted rice, chili, shallots, herbs and lime dressing.

Laab

Grilled beef flank with herbs and chili dipping sauce over a bed of lettuce

Sein Nam Tok

Sweet and spicy, served with sticky rice.

Lao Pork Sausage

Chilled shrimp and crab with fresh herbs and vegetables in sweet chili sauce

Yum Yum Seafood

Red Curry

Kua Mee

Pad Thai

Shrimp only

Lao Specialties

Spicy Lemongrass Soup

Shrimp, scallop and crab

Fried Tofu

Ariella's favorite! Chicken & Shrimp Fresh Spring

Sweet Chili Glazed Beef Meatballs

Jurn Kai

Raw (or cooked) beef laab

Chop the pork shoulder into large chunks (around 2 inches). Mince the garlic and ginger, slice the shallots, and bruise the lemongrass stalks by hitting them with the back of a knife.

Prepare the ingredients

In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved.

Mix the sauce

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork chunks in batches and sear them until browned on all sides. Remove the pork and set aside.

Sear the pork

In the same pot, add the minced garlic, shallots, ginger, and bruised lemongrass. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant.

Cook the aromatics

Return the seared pork to the pot. Add the prepared sauce mixture, star anise, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns. Pour in the water and bring to a boil.

Combine and simmer

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and the flavors have melded.

Braised cooking

Once cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

Garnish and serve

Pork shoulder

Coconut milk

Fish sauce

Brown sugar

Water

Garlic

Shallots

Ginger

Lemongrass

Star anise

Cinnamon stick

Black peppercorns

Fresh cilantro

Lime

Dice the carrots and bell peppers, chop the green onions, and mince the garlic. Grate the ginger and set all the vegetables aside.

Prepare the Ingredients

Ensure that the cooked rice is cold and preferably a day old to prevent it from becoming mushy during cooking.

Cook the Rice

In a large skillet or wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and grated ginger, sautéing for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Heat the Oil

Add the diced carrots, bell peppers, and green peas to the skillet. Stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

Add Vegetables

Add the cooked rice to the skillet, breaking up any clumps. Stir well to combine with the vegetables.

Incorporate the Rice

Pour the soy sauce over the rice mixture and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir continuously to ensure even coating and heat through for another 3-5 minutes.

Season the Rice

Add the chopped green onions and give everything a final stir. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Finish and Serve

Carrots, diced

Bell peppers, diced (any color)

Green peas, frozen

Green onions, chopped

Garlic, minced

Ginger, grated

Cooked rice (preferably day-old)

Soy sauce

Sesame oil

Salt

Black pepper

Place the rice noodles in a bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak for about 20-30 minutes until they become soft. Drain and set aside.

Soak the Noodles

Thinly slice the boneless chicken breast, carrot, bell pepper, and green onions. Mince the garlic cloves. Set all the prepared ingredients aside.

In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry until it’s cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Cook the Chicken

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the sliced carrot and bell pepper. Stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender yet crisp.

Stir-Fry the Vegetables

Add the soaked noodles to the pan along with the cooked chicken. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and chili flakes. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss everything together to combine evenly.

Add Noodles and Sauce

Push the noodle mixture to one side of the pan. Crack the egg into the empty side and scramble it for about a minute until cooked. Then mix it into the noodles.

Scramble the Egg

Add the sliced green onions and toss everything together for another minute. If necessary, adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or chili flakes. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Rice noodles

Boneless chicken breast

Carrot

Bell pepper

Green onions

Oyster sauce

Sugar

Chili flakes

Cilantro

Lime wedges

Measure 1 cup of jasmine rice and rinse it under cold running water in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, which helps prevent the rice from becoming gummy.

Rinse the Rice

If desired, soak the rinsed rice in water for about 30 minutes. This step is optional but can help to achieve a softer texture.

Soak the Rice (optional)

In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed (and soaked, if applicable) jasmine rice, 1.5 cups of water, and 0.5 tsp of salt. Stir gently to distribute the salt.

Combine Ingredients

Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Keep an eye on it to prevent it from boiling over.

Bring to a Boil

Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time as it can release steam.

Simmer

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for an additional 10 minutes. This helps the rice to finish cooking in the residual steam.

Let it Rest

After resting, remove the lid and use a fork to fluff the rice gently. Serve warm as a side dish or as a base for your favorite stir-fry or curry.

Fluff and Serve

Jasmine rice

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from water and let cool.

Once cooled, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.

Shred the Chicken

Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Set aside.

Slice the Red Onion

Wash and chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.

Chop the Lettuce

Wash and chop the tomatoes into wedges. Add them to the salad bowl.

Chop the Tomatoes

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, chili flakes, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro until well combined.

Make the Dressing

Add the shredded chicken and sliced red onion to the bowl with lettuce and tomatoes.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are well coated.

Add Dressing

Serve immediately as a refreshing main dish or side. Enjoy!

Serve the Salad

Chicken breast

Red onion

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Lime juice

Drain the tofu and press it between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut the tofu into cubes.

Prepare the Tofu

Slice the bell pepper into strips, cut the carrots into thin rounds, and prepare the broccoli florets. Rinse the sugar snap peas and slice the green onions.

Chop the Vegetables

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.

Cook the Tofu

In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and sugar snap peas. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir-fry the Vegetables

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, cornstarch, and water. Pour this sauce over the stir-fried vegetables and stir well to combine.

Add the Sauce

Add the cooked tofu back into the skillet with the vegetables and sauce. Stir gently to coat everything in the sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Combine Tofu and Sauce

Sprinkle the sliced green onions over the stir-fry for garnish. Serve hot over rice or noodles if desired.

Garnish and Serve

Tofu

Bell pepper (red)

Broccoli florets

Carrots (sliced)

Sugar snap peas

Green onions (sliced)

Garlic (minced)

Ginger (grated)

Cornstarch

Vegetable oil

Place the beef bones in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. This helps to remove impurities.

Prepare the Bones

Drain the bones, rinse them under cold water, and return them to the pot. Add 4 liters of fresh water, the whole onion (peeled and halved), ginger (charred on an open flame), star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for at least 4 hours, skimming any fat that rises to the surface.

Make the Broth

After 4 hours, add fish sauce and salt to taste. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Season the Broth

While the broth is simmering, cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Cook the Rice Noodles

Rinse the bean sprouts and fresh basil under cold water. Slice the lime into wedges and chop the chili peppers and green onions.

Prepare the Toppings

In a bowl, place a portion of cooked rice noodles. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top with bean sprouts, fresh basil, sliced lime, chili peppers, and green onions. Serve immediately.

Serve the Pho

Beef bones

Onion

Cloves

Bean sprouts

Fresh basil

Chili peppers

Thinly slice the beef flank steak against the grain into strips about 1/4 inch thick.

Slice the Beef

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sesame oil, and lime juice. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved.

Prepare Marinade

Add the sliced beef to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Marinate the Beef

Preheat your dehydrator or oven to 70°C (160°F). Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the beef strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays or a baking sheet.

Dry the Beef

Dehydrate for 4-6 hours, or until the beef is dried and chewy. If using an oven, prop the door open with a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape.

Dehydrate the Beef

Rinse the sticky rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.

Soak the rinsed sticky rice in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Soak the Rice

Drain the soaked rice and place it in a steamer basket lined with cheesecloth or a clean cloth. Steam over boiling water for about 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and translucent.

Remove the sticky rice from the steamer, fluff with a fork, and serve alongside the beef jerky.

Thom Khem