Laos · Lao food
Sticky rice: how to eat khao niao like a Lao
A small ball rolled between your fingers, dipped in a sauce: how sticky rice is eaten in Laos, and why it is at the heart of Lao culture.
Its name
Khao niao
When
At every meal
How
With your fingers
With what
Jaew, spicy dips
In Laos, it is hard to get through a day without eating sticky rice. Khao niao is not a side dish: it is the centre of the meal, of family life and of shared moments. Lao people even call themselves “children of sticky rice”. Here is how it is cooked, how it is eaten, and why you quickly get a taste for it.
Khao niao
Soaked, steamed · served in a small basket · eaten with the fingers
Sticky rice soaks for several hours, then steams in a bamboo basket set over a pot. It is served in a small woven basket, covered to keep it warm, and everyone helps themselves by hand.
“Once you get the hang of it, it is hard to go back to a fork.”
What to eat it with
- Jaew: chilli dips, like Luang Prabang's jaew bong
- Laap: minced meat salad with herbs
- Grilled food: fish, chicken, Lao sausage
- As a snack: khao jee, sticky rice grilled with egg
01
Eating sticky rice, step by step
Help yourself
Take a small handful from the basket, with your right hand.
Roll
Roll it between your fingers into a small, firm ball.
Dip
Dip it in a sauce, or pinch up a little laap or grilled meat with it.
Share
The dishes are in the middle: you dip in, chat and take your time.
Close
Close the basket between bites, to keep the rice warm.
Do
- Eat with your fingers, like everyone else
- Make small balls
- Close the basket
Avoid
- Putting rice you've touched back in the basket
- Eating it with a fork “to be polite”
- Letting it dry out with the basket open
Travel with us
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang temples and Mount Phousi
A day in the old town with your guide, in French, English, Chinese or Thai: the day market, the Royal Palace, Wat Xieng Thong and Wat May, then Mount Phousi, by private tuk-tuk.
From 65 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Mekong cruise and Pak Ou caves
The town in the morning, then about two hours by private boat on the Mekong to the Pak Ou cave and a village where rice spirit is distilled.
From 78 € / person
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Our tours · Luang Prabang
Kuang Si waterfall and Hmong village
About an hour's drive to the Kuang Si waterfall, a stop in a Hmong village and at the buffalo farm, then the Ock Pop Tok textile workshop before returning to your hotel.
From 72 € / person
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Our tours · Luang Prabang
Street food at the night market
A street food evening guided by our students in training: they learn French with NK Seeds and introduce you to Lao food among the stalls of Luang Prabang.
From 30 € / person
See the tour
Our tours · Luang Prabang
Sindad evening, the Lao barbecue
An evening around the sindad, the Lao barbecue you share, with our students in training: they learn French with NK Seeds and introduce you to the meal Lao people love to share with friends.
From 30 € / person
See the tour
Frequently asked questions
How do you say sticky rice in Lao?
Khao niao, sometimes written khao niav. Khao means rice.
Do you eat sticky rice with your fingers?
Yes, you make a small ball and dip it into sauces or dishes.
Does sticky rice contain gluten?
No. It is “sticky” because of its starch, not gluten.
Where can I try sticky rice in Luang Prabang?
Everywhere, especially at the night market. On our street food tour, our students show you how to eat it.
A question about Lao food?
Write to us: we answer you ourselves, from Luang Prabang. Please book at least one week in advance.
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