Mok Pa: Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf, and Why Dill Is the Whole Point

Those neat green parcels stacked in rows in Luang Prabang's morning markets are worth stopping for. Open one at the table and the burst of herby steam alone tells you why this is one of northern Laos' most fragrant dishes.

Mok pa is firm white fish — catfish is traditional on the Mekong, while tilapia, sea bass or cod work at home — mixed with a pounded paste of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, shallots, garlic and chillies, seasoned with padaek, and bound with a little sticky-rice paste or rice flour so it stays tender. Basil and spring onion go through it, but the signature is dill, and a lot of it: dill is beloved in northern Lao and Isan cooking, and its fresh, almost anise-like greenness lifts both the rich fish and the fermented depth underneath.

The mixture is spooned onto softened banana leaves, folded into parcels pinned with bamboo picks or toothpicks, and steamed for 15 to 20 minutes. The leaf is not just wrapping — as it steams it perfumes the fish and keeps it moist with no added oil or coconut milk; parchment inside foil is a workable stand-in at home, though you lose a little of that green aroma. Serve the parcels still closed, one or two per person, with sticky rice, blanched vegetables and jeow on the side, and let everyone open their own. Leftovers are best eaten the same day, gently re-steamed so the dill stays bright.

Full story: Food From Northern Laos — http://www.foodfromnorthernlaos.com/2026/10/mok-pa-fish-steamed-in-banana-leaf-with.html