HOW TO MAKE PON PA | Fish Dip | ປົ່ນປາ ป่นปลา

Pon Pa is a vibrant Lao sauce/dip that's made up of roasted aromatics and pounded fish meat. It's savory, umami from Padaek, citrusy, and spicy! This dip is widely eaten throughout Isaan, the Northeast region of Thailand. I grew up eating this often with sticky rice, crunchy vegetables, and lots of herbs. Every time I have this dip, I'm transported to my childhood.
This is not a dip that you can find in many Lao or Thai restaurants but it's made often within the homes of Lao and Thai families. Very authentic and so underrepresented.
Padaek (also spelled Padek, Padaq) is fish that's mixed with water and salt, left to ferment and age for months to years. The fish begins to break down and you are left with a magical sauce/paste that's so umami and full of glutamates. While it doesn't taste anything like the following, think of cheese, wine, anchovies, kimchi and their applications in foods. Many families are skilled at preparing this at home, but you can also buy different brands in your local Asian grocery store. Some brands come in liquid form and some come with chunks of fish. Some are made with the most basic ingredients (fish, water, salt) and some are seasoned with other spices and aromatics. Different brands of Padaek can be used to make different types of foods. Actually, Lao, Thai, and Cambodian (Khmer) cuisine use this ingredient. In Lao, it's called Padaek, Thai it's called Pla Ra, and in Khmer it's called Prahok.
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INGREDIENTS
// make FISH BROTH //
Mild Fish - 1 lb (2 cups of meat)
Water - 4 cups
Fermented Fish (Padaek/Pla Ra) - 2 tbsp (if using liquid Padaek, adjust to taste)
Hot Water (if using chunky Fermented Fish) - 1/2 tbsp
Lemongrass - 1 stalk
Galangal - 1 inch piece
☝️ This Fish Broth - 2 cups
// make Aromatic Paste //
Garlic - 26 cloves (roasted)
Shallots - 4 small bulbs (roasted)
Red & Green Chilis - 26 chilis (roasted)
Scallion - 2 stalks
Cilantro - 1 small handful
Roasted Chili Flakes - 2 tbsp
Fish Sauce - 5 tbsp (adjust depending on saltiness of brand)
Lime Juice - 7 tbsp (adjust to taste)
MSG - 1 to 2 tsp
Red Chilis for garnish
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#healthyasianfood #isaanfood #laofood

[@gregvandenberg2859]

Beautiful again.... and now everyone will be looking forward to seeing the garden guardian in every video! 😀

[@ThunThunChannel]

Thank you 🙏😊

[@luxeydaze]

This is my mom’s favorite. It’s such a flavorful dish. Again, I love how you make these recipes look doable even for the most novice of cookers. Your a great teacher!

[@ThunThunChannel]

Thank you so much Luxey! I also used to eat this dish as a child often. Had to share it. I appreciate the feedback 🙏

[@chwinfi]

I like today's musical choice...

[@ThunThunChannel]

Thank you! It was fun to make

[@lonereader2993]

As always, inspirational. ❤️

[@ThunThunChannel]

thank you Dorothy!

[@FRACTALSLY]

Oh yes!!! The best

[@ThunThunChannel]

I agree 😊

[@kcsparrow]

Omg 😱 it’s 10pm here in Texas and you are making me hungry 😂.

[@ThunThunChannel]

I also craved this yesterday late evening :) Thank you for watching!

[@NinisCooking]

Sa wad dee ka~ 😊🙏
I love Pla Ra! but I've never tried the fish in the Pla Ra before.
But I know it's yummy for sure! the fish meat, the smoky herbs, and the chili flakes, these make me drooling. I want to eat it! 🤤🤤
ps. your garden protector is so cute 😍

[@ThunThunChannel]

Sawadee Krub 🙏 Me too, I love Pla Ra. The one with the fish meat taste great as well. Thank you for watching !! The puppy says thank you 🙏

[@perfectcookingrecipes8600]

i will try

[@ThunThunChannel]

thank you!

[@Theararecipe]

That’s my favorite and dips with the fresh veggies. It tastes so yummy and especially with the warm rice. Love it, great video. 😍😍😍

[@ThunThunChannel]

One of my favorites too. Thank you 🙏

[@Theararecipe]

@@ThunThunChannel We have similar recipe though. lol

[@sunts7767]

Can I anchovies sauce to replace the fermented fish?

[@ThunThunChannel]

Hello, thank you for watching. There's no replacement for the fermented fish. You can just leave it out and adjust the amount of the ingredients to taste.