Laos is located in Southeast Asia and is one of the last pristine ecosystems in the world. The Lao environment and traditions are some of their most precious resources, which is quite visible when examining Lao cuisine. Penn Hongthong has taken healthy recipes passed down through her family's generations and has recreated them, perfectly capturing the simple, fresh, and authentic flavors of these natural dishes. Any home cook would be proud to serve these delicious yet healthy recipes to
their family and friends. Original Lao recipes are healthy but take too long because everything is made
from scratch. Lao cooking is concentrated on getting more with the little you have.
After trying for many years, here are the solutions. It's all about balance and compromise. Cook small portions, use the right amount of meat to flavor the right amount of vegetables, and a large amount of fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. More meat than original Lao cooking and less than American cooking. Less vegetables than original Lao cooking and more than American cooking.
I am forming a team to tape my cooking show Simple Lao Cuisine at LTVE East Hampton: channel 20 east Hampton and YouTube: penn hongthong. I am also in the process of packaging my sauces: Burn Me Baby hot sauce and Honey Peanut Sauce.
How did you come up with the title?
I came up with the name of my cookbook "Healthy Lao Cuisine," because these days people like simple and healthy. I'm from Lao and I was raised on good, wholesome and quick meals. That is why I created my cookbooks, "Lao" cuisine is naturally healthy and easy to make so what better way to tell the world there is something delicious out there that is simple to make. That is why I created my cook books. Lao cuisine is naturally gluten free and dairy free, using a lot of fresh herbs and vegetables and very little meats.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest and who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I don’t have a new author, but my favorite author is Sydney Sheldon because he wrote about successful and powerful women.
What do you want your legacy to be and why?
I want my legacy to be that: People remembering me because I made cooking fun, easy and very tasty. Add fresh herbs and vegetables to every dish; they are good for you and make the food tastes good.
Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
My web: www.laochef.com I will be blogging soon.