Or Lam (ເອາະຫຼາມ) — Luang Prabang Herb Stew

• 1.5 lbbeef chuck (cut into 4 cm chunks)
• 8.8 ozcooked beef tendon (cut into 2 cm pieces)
• 1.2 lwater
• 1 canyanang leaf extract (400 ml can)
• 3 tbsppadaek fermented fish sauce (strained if very coarse)
• 1 tbspfish sauce
• 8 gfine sea salt
• 3.2 ozraw sticky rice (toasted and ground into khao khua-style powder)
• 3 stalklemongrass (tender lower 12 cm only, finely sliced)
• 6 clovegarlic
• 4shallots (peeled and halved)
• 1.1 ozfresh galangal (thinly sliced)
• 4fresh bird's eye chiles (stems removed)
• 25 gsa khan vine (scraped and cut into short batons)
• 8Thai eggplants (quartered)
• 3½ ozpea eggplants
• 6⅓ ozyardlong beans (cut into 4 cm lengths)
• 5.3 ozoyster mushrooms (torn into large strips)
• 2.8 ozwood ear mushrooms (rehydrated if dried, sliced)
• 4 leafkaffir lime leaves (torn)
• ½ bunchfresh dill (roughly chopped)
• 1 bunchLao basil (leaves picked)
• 1⅜ ozscallions (cut into 2 cm lengths)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the raw sticky rice in a dry skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are deep golden and smell nutty. Cool for 5 minutes, then pound or grind it to a coarse powder; this khao khua-style thickener should feel sandy, not floury.

2. 2

   Put the beef chuck, water, and 4 g of the salt in a heavy pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Skim the foam carefully for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat, cover partly, and simmer for 70 minutes until the beef is beginning to yield.

3. 3

   While the beef cooks, make the aromatic base for the or lam. Pound the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, galangal, chiles, sa khan, and the remaining 4 g salt in a mortar until bruised and juicy, leaving some fibrous texture rather than making a smooth paste.

4. 4

   Stir the pounded aromatic mixture, yanang leaf extract, padaek, and fish sauce into the simmering beef. Add the cooked beef tendon, cover partly again, and simmer for 25 minutes so the broth becomes dark, herbal, and lightly thickened by the aromatics.

5. 5

   Add the Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, yardlong beans, oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the eggplants soften but still hold their shape.

6. 6

   Sprinkle in the ground toasted sticky rice gradually while stirring, then simmer for 8 minutes to thicken the stew. The finished texture should be spoonable and rustic, with a broth that clings lightly to the meat and vegetables rather than becoming a smooth puree.

7. 7

   Turn off the heat and fold in the dill, Lao basil, and scallions. Rest the or lam for 10 minutes before serving, because the herbs perfume the stew more fully as the bubbling stops and the broth settles.