Episode 3: Luke's Mekong | Luang Prabang, Laos

This week, Luke stays in Luang Prabang to join the biggest New Year’s celebrations in the country. Traveling further into the countryside, Luke meets a third-generation watercress farmer. He hears her story as they harvest watercress together before cooking her favourite steak dish with lashings of rice wine.

Source: Luke Nguyen's Greater Mekong

This week, Luke stays in Luang Prabang to join the biggest New Year’s celebrations in the country. Luke gets in the festive spirit, helping out a local street food seller with her coconut cakes. He escapes the crowds to Quang Si waterfalls, where he makes a refreshing Luang Prabang salad. Traveling further into the countryside, Luke meets a third-generation watercress farmer. He hears her story as they harvest watercress together before cooking her favourite steak dish with lashings of rice wine. Heading back into town, Luke stands in awe as a local teenager harvests tamarind in the high branches of a tree for his dessert dish, and he tests his tastebuds with a unique local snack called "rat poo".

 

Recipes

Sweet coconut cakes

Luang Prabang salad

Beef wok-tossed in Lao whiskey

Steamed sticky rice cakes with banana