Learning How Rice Is Grown In Luang Prabang

Living Land Farm Sign in Luang Prabang, LaosA view of Living Land Farm, Luang Prabang, LaosEach family has a picky eater. Our four and a half year old son is ours. The last few months he’s been branching out of his limited preferences. He’s doing so in part because we finally clued in that he likes his umami. So, our weekly menu has shifted a bit to ensure that there are more ‘Asian’ flavours. A month or so ago, he heartily announced, mid bite, that he loved rice, all kinds (we have since learned this really only means any type of white rice as the brown, red or black rice he’s been served is barely touched). It was with this knowledge that I knew I could get him to come with me to visit the “Rice Experience” Tour at Living Land Farm in Luang Prabang, Laos.

 Located 5 km outside of Luang Prabang, the Living Land Farm, a cooperative comprising 7 families who primarily grow rice over 8 hectares, was conceived in 2006 by Laut Lee in response to the slash and burn farming culture in the rural regions of Laos. Slash and burn farming involves clearing vegetation by cutting and burning before being used for just one or two seasons to grow upland rice, vegetables or fruit. After cultivation the land requires a minimum of 3 years of fallow before being used again. So farmers frequently move and clear new land. During the last few decades it has led to increased deforestation, soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. Laut explained that the majority of farmers in Northern Laos live in rural areas where this type of subsistence agriculture has been practiced for generations and they are not aware of other farming alternatives. At the same time, farmers who are closer to cities are increasingly using fertilizers and pesticides without full knowledge of the harm they can do to humans and the environment.Portrait of Laut Lee of Living Land Farm

While at university training to be a teacher Laut realized that if he educated the younger generation of kids and farmers about traditional organic farming techniques he could possibly make a difference. So, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Luang Prabang schoolchildren take fieldtrips to the farm to learn about different planting techniques that do not require the use of fertilizers or pesticides. The top college students in the agriculture program receive hands on training in crop rotation, working with green manure and natural pest management.  The ultimate goal is to show the local Lao students that they can farm the same piece of land continually while keeping it fertile and alive by using a host of sustainable techniquesLaut also recognized that with the increase of exclusive hotels in Luang Prabang there would be a need for organic Western vegetables. Two years ago, a couple of guests from an upscale hotel were taken with the vegetables used in their meal and wanted to see where they were grown. While walking them around the farm during this informal tour Laut described the 14 steps of the rice growing process. And so the ‘Rice Experience’ tour was born.

As I am not aware of any other organized hands on tour that explains how rice is grown, if you find yourself in Luang Prabang I highly recommend setting aside a half day to experience Laut’s enthusiasm and knowledge. Here is a link to a video interview I did with Laut on Good Food Revolution.

Step 1: Selecting the grainSelecting rice to be planted by placing in salinated waterWashing salt off of rice grains before planting

Rice grains from a previous harvest are selected by placing them in a saltwater solution (enough salt to float a raw egg). Those that sink are deemed healthy and resilient enough to be planted. They first must be well washed to rinse away the salt, which if left as residue on the grains will inhibit germination.

Step 2: Germination and nursery stationSeedlings prior to transplanting

The selected seeds are spread in assigned beds for germination.

Step 3: Ploughing

A portrait of Susan the Water Buffalo

Susan the Water Buffalo

 

A father and son plough a field using a water buffalo at Living Land Farm

My son and I get our feet muddy as we plough the field with Susan’s help.

The rice paddy is ploughed to prepare for planting. Traditionally, water buffalo are used to assist in the ploughing. Farmers living closer to larger cities will use a ‘mechanized buffalo’ as Laut refers to mechanical ploughs.

Step 4: Planting of SeedlingsTransplanting rice seedlings

Family and community members work together to help each other plant the seedlings in their paddies in rows. To help pass the time of this back-breaking job traditional songs are sung in between the men and women.

Step 5: Managing Water & WeedingLaut Lee talks about water management and weeding when growing rice

As the rice grows managing the access, amount and flow of water is paramount to providing optimal growing conditions. Similarly some weeding of encroaching unwanted vegetation is required. Depending on the variety of rice that is grown this stage will last from two to four months.

Step 6: HarvestingLaut after cutting the rice stalks

Once the farmer has deemed the rice is to be harvested it must be done within a period of two days to one week. If time is wasted some of the grains may fall into the paddy and will be unusable.

Step 7: Thrashing

Thrashing of rice to remove rice kernels

My son was proud as he took this photo of me thrashing rice

Once the rice has had some time to dry a little the grains are thrashed against a board to release them from the stalks. Laut showed us a technique where a nunchuk like device is used where a string attached to two batons is wrapped around a bunch of stalks and then beaten against a wooden board.

Step 8: Winnowing & CleaningWinnowing Rice at Living Land FarmRice grains that have been trashed sit in the hand of a child

A large fan is moved in a figure eight motion to separate the straw and empty rice husks. The rice is spread out and moved around as the winnowing occurs. We all thought that the rice would simply be blown around however since the straw and empty husks are lighter than the rice kernels it was them who were blown around instead.

Step 9: Packing  & StoringLaut Lee throws rice into a basket before moving for storage

The rice is then loaded from the winnowing station into baskets holding up to 40 pounds of rice and transported back to the farmer’s home where it can be stored up to two years.

Step 10: HuskingHusking rice using human foot powerA woman moves rice grains to help them become husked

Using a foot powered ‘mortar and pestle’ contraption the rice is repeatedly pounded so that the husks are released from each grain of rice.  It helps to have someone sit near the bowl and move the rice around so that all of the husks are removed.

Step 11: Winnowing Grain from HuskWinnowing Rice from the husks

For some reason -Laut never got around to explaining why – the winnowing of the grain is only performed by women or girls. I suppose this is because they may be more patient at separating and removing the husks from the grains of rice. The technique is to place your hands on the centre of each side of the woven bamboo tray and move it straight up. If done properly, the movement and wind will help blow away the lighter husks while the heavier rice falls to the tray. If performed by a novice, as one of the other tour participants discovered, you may end up with some husks and rice down your shirt.

Grinding of rice by hand powered in between large stonesGround rice powder sits on a bamboo tray

Step 12: Soaking Rice in Water overnight

The rice needs to soak for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight before cooking.

Step 13: CookingRice steaming in a traditional 'houd' - a Lao bamboo cooking vessel

The soaked and drained rice is put in a conical like bamboo basket, called a houd, that sits on top a pot of simmering water. It is steamed for 20 minutes and then instead of stirring the rice, with one skilled shake the rice flips 180 degrees with the rice that was on the top now on the bottom closer to the steam. Unlike stove top methods, there is no real need to cover the rice in the steaming process, but a bamboo cover is used to keep out ash, dust and bugs while it cooks.

Step 14: EatingDifferent sweets and snacks made out of rice

At the end of the tour we sat down to eat some of the delicious steamed rice with a fiery buffalo meat chutney. We were also served rice in other delectable forms: rice crackers, rice coconut milk like tuiles.

Laut and his team also used a traditional press to squeeze out some delicious sugar cane juice. The sweet foam from the top was fantastic as the tiny bubbles melted in my mouth. A great way to finish off the tour.Laut Lee and team member pressing sugar cane juiceSugar Cane juice and foam

 

 

 

 

Add Some Citrus and Spice to Enhance Classic Shortbread

Shortbread and ingredientsButtery, crisp, melt in the mouth shortbread is a wonderful classic cookie at any time of year. My mother would make them at Christmas and garnish them with half a maraschino cherry. Sometimes it’s great just to have something simple like this with a tea but other times I like to look at shortbread as a canvas in which you can add different flavors using citrus zests, herbs or spices. Click here for a link to a few shortbread recipes I provided for the holidays on Zester Daily.

Preparing Thanksgiving In Asia – Some Tips

Ingredients for Thanksgiving in AsiaBeing away from your friends and family on Thanksgiving is possibly the loneliest day of the year for a North American expat. Once you have been able to find and organize some others to celebrate this harvest festival the next challenge is to figure out what you are going to make as a lot of the time, particularly in Asia, it can be like a difficult treasure hunt to find those all important must have ingredients to recreate family Thanksgiving recipes. Having prepared 8 Thanksgivings overseas for close to 1000 people I have had to become creative when ingredients are unavailable. I recently wrote an article for Zester Daily highlighting some tips for preparing Thanksgiving in Asia.

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny soupMulligatawny soup is perhaps one of the most well known Anglo-Indian dishes that came out of the Raj, the period of the British rule of India. Jennifer Brennan’s culinary memoir, Curries and Bugles: A Cookbook of the British Raj, is a solid account of what the cultural and culinary life was like for the British living in India from the late 19th century up to 1947, the time of Indian Independence.  In it she describes how mulligatawny soup is a derivative of South Indian rasam, a watery broth of lentils, ground spices, made slightly sour with tamarind. Since the soup course is not really part of an Indian meal it was most likely a British memsahib (“housewife”), who wanted to offer a unique soup to their guests, and asked her cook to come up with a solution.  It really is that first South Indian cook, and not the memsahib, who should be credited with the innovative idea of merging his staple daily rasam with vegetables and meat to create a satisfying soup.

As the weather turns colder this is a great soup to have as a light meal. This recipe uses local lamb, from La Ferme Albe, but chicken can also be substituted.  Including diced and blanched potatoes, carrots or turnips as a garnish can make this a more substantial soup.  With only a couple of omissions and additions a vegetarian version is quick and easy to make (see end of recipe).

Mulligatawny Soup
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
  • 1 pound (1/2 kg.) cubed lamb leg or shoulder; or substitute with chicken thighs on bone
  • 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
  • 16-20 curry leaves
  • 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and ground
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted and ground
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne (for mild) or ¾-1 tsp for a kick!
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
  • 6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
  • 1 (400ml) can of coconut milk
  • 4-6 tbsp tamarind water or to taste
  • Salt and pepper
  • Coriander leaves, for garnish
  • Fried onions, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
In a medium sized pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add curry leaves, garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes. Stir in ground spices, bay leaf and cook for another couple of minutes. Add lamb, salt, pepper and cook until the lamb has changed colour. Toss in tomatoes and red lentils. Cook for another minute then pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes or until the lamb pieces are fork tender.

While the lamb is gently simmering, place 1 cup of basmati rice in a small pot. Cover with 1 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil. When it has reached a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for 12 minutes then turn off the heat. Keep the lid on and allow the rice to steam for another 10 minutes.

Remove lamb pieces from the broth and dice or shred. Set aside.

Remove and discard bay leaf and curry leaves (if some remain, no problem).

Place broth in a blender and puree. Return to pot and keep warm over low heat. Pour in the coconut milk. Stir in tamarind water, to taste. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and tamarind.

Ladle some soup into a bowl. Spoon a ⅓ cup of cooked rice in the centre of soup and top with some diced lamb, coriander leaves and crisp fried onions, if using. Accompany with papadums.

Note: If tamarind liquid not available you can substitute with lime juice to taste.
Notes
For Vegetarian Version:

Replace lamb with bite sized pieces of mushrooms.

Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock or water.

Reduce cooking/simmering time to 20 minutes.

Remember to remove and set aside mushrooms before pureeing soup.

Other cooked vegetables (ie boiled cauliflower, fried eggplant or stir fried greens) or pulses (such as cooked chickpeas/ or other pulses) can be added at end as a further garnish.

NOTE: This was originally published on my blog India On My Plate on November 15, 2011

A warming beef and root vegetable curry

Indian beef curry with root vegetablesThis recipe is one that I recently wrote for our local community newspaper.  Inspired by some of the dedicated farmers who sell locally raised, hormone and anti-biotic free meat at the Landsdowne Farmer’s Market. The vegetarian dishes of India are fantastic but so too are many of the meat dishes.  This recipe, one could interpret it as a spiced beef stew, is a good introduction to a simple meat curry.  Play around with the spice combinations to tailor it to your own preferences and tastes. Lamb, pork, bison or elk can be substituted but cooking the time may need to be adjusted.  Typically, vegetables would not be added to such a dish but by doing so you end up with an easy substantial meal.  I love making the curry at this time of year as I find the shades of orange, rust, yellow, white and speckles of green on the plate mimic what is happening in the fields and forests during mid-autumn.

A warming beef and root vegetable curry
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds (1 kg) stewing beef in 1 ½ inch cubes
  • 2 medium white onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp garlic cloves (3 cloves), finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped plus 1 tbsp julienned ginger for garnish
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne powder (family friendly); ½ tsp for a spicier curry
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 green chilli- seeds removed- finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 ½ cups assorted root vegetables (carrots, turnips, potatoes, squash) cut into bite sized pieces
Instructions
Preheat a heavy bottomed large saucepan at medium heat. Add cumin seeds and dry roast for about 2 minutes or until aromatic and dark brown. Remove cumin seeds and set aside.

Pour vegetable oil into pan and increase heat to medium high. Toss in onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add cayenne powder and cook for 30 seconds or until oil starts to separate from the onions. Add chopped garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in cumin powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add stewing beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes until all of the meat has changed colour and has lightly browned. Toss in tomatoes, green chilli, toasted cumin and a quarter cup of water. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes or until tender. Occasionally give the meat a stir. Once the meat is tender, remove the cover and simmer until most of the liquid has reduced but still lightly coats the meat.

While the curry is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Toss in one type of root vegetable and cook until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat with other vegetables, if using.

When you are happy with the consistency and tenderness of the curry gently stir in the cooked vegetables. Check and adjust seasoning, if need be. Garnish with julienned ginger and roughly chopped coriander and serve immediately.
  1. The beef curry can be served with rice, naan or homemade paratha.

NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog India On My Plate on November 2, 2011