SETH: Wow, chef, these banana leaves, these peppers.

I know we're in Virginia, but I feel like I've been transported somewhere very far away.

SENG: Yeah.

So basically you don't need a passport to go to Southeast Asia.

And here, we have Lao jungle right in our backyard in Northern Virginia.

SETH: The Lao jungle.

I love it.

Well, it certainly puts my backyard garden to shame.

And these peppers, I'm kind of just scared looking at them, imagining just how spicy these are.

And so what are you looking for with these red peppers?

SENG: These are bird's eye chilies.

The reason we call bird's eye chili is because of the way it's stuck up toward the sky.

So the red one is not only has such a great heat, it also add nice color to the dish, which is what we are going to be doing in the kitchen later.

SETH: Well, that's so of cool that you're able to grow everything you need for your dishes right here in your backyard.

So I guess we should take the peppers back to Thip Khao and get started?

SENG: Yeah, let's do it.

SETH: Great.

Thanks, chef.

SENG: Thank you.

SETH: Oh, wow.

So what's this, chef?

SENG: This is the pork that we are going to make Muu Som, which is a fermented pork belly.

SETH: Fermented.

Now, when I think of fermentation, I think of pickling.

I think of maybe you know, vegetables, cucumbers.

I don't think pork would've come to mind.

SENG: Yeah.

It's very common in Laos because in Laos, we don't have a lot of refrigeration, so a lot of people tends not to just cure vegetable or pickle vegetable.

We also do meat; with pork, fish.

It could be like beef as well.

The main important for fermentation is rice because in Laos, rice is, sticky rice is very important for Lao culture.

So I'm going to grab about a handful of this.

And I'm adding water, and I'm going to add garlic, and of course salt, a little bit of sugar.

SETH: Oh.

SENG: And black pepper.

So I'll mix it up.

And I'm going to grab pork belly.

So basically, we're going to give this a little massage.

So I'm going to add the next piece and I will keep massaging it, and then we'll add it more until we are done.

SETH: And how long is it going to take for this to get as fermented as you'd like?

SENG: In Laos, we leave it out for a few days.

But here, we leave in our cooler, in our walk-in cooler for two to three weeks.

SETH: Oh, wow.

Okay.

SENG: Yeah.

Until it gets nice fermentation.

And what I have here is already done.

SETH: Oh, wow.

Yeah.

You can already see what's changed.

SENG: So you see the rice has kind of like melted it into the pork.

SETH: Just the aroma of it.

I can already tell it's been fermenting for a while.

SENG: Yeah.

Yeah.

It's been fermenting.

So basically it's kind of salty and also sour.

So I'm going to be slicing it and I will be cooking it up in the wok to get the nice and smokey flavor.

SETH: Can't wait.

Let's give it a shot.

SENG: Yeah, let's do it.

All right.

It is going to be very quick, very fast, very simple.

So basically, I'm going to char most of the ingredients here.

So this is a ginger and onion.

Then I will toss in the pork belly.

SETH: This is the one that's been fermenting for a few weeks now.

SENG: Yeah.

Yeah.

The Muu Som that has been fermented for a few weeks.

I will do next is adding the mushroom.

I like to put the wood ear mushroom in there for nice texture.

Okay.

And the next thing is the tomato.

And of course the chilies from the garden.

SETH: Oh, of course.

SENG: That I picked from the garden, yeah.

And then I will put the fish sauce mixture.

Roll down the heat just a little bit.

And it's all set.

That's it!

SETH: So much of the work is involved with fermenting it and taking weeks, all the work that has to go in the garden to grow the peppers, and then when it's time to cook, it's just... SENG: Right.

Right.

It's very cook and fast.

SETH: Flash in the pan.

SENG: As long as you have a nice heat on your pan.

So now, we're going to top it with the herbs.

The herbs' also from the garden.

SETH: Well, it looks and smells delicious.

Can't wait to try it, chef.

SENG: Yeah.

Let's go and try with sticky rice.

Okay.

So what you do is you are going to use sticky rice as utensil.

SETH: Okay.

SENG: As vessel.

You're going to roll into a ball flat like that.

And what you're going to do is you're going to put it in here and just grab it like that and you just eat it.

SETH: Okay.

And take a little bit.

SENG: Yeah.

SETH: I'll be an old pro at this in no time, chef.

You make it look so easy.

SENG: You already is a pro.

There you go.

SETH: Grab a delicious piece of fermented pork here.

SENG: Mm-hmm.

Yep.

Grab that.

And... SETH: And little bit of hot pepper from the garden.

I can already tell this first bite's going to be hot.

SENG: Yes, of course.

All right.

Cheers.

SETH: Oh, that is wonderful.

A little bit of heat from the pepper there.

SENG: Mm-hmm.

SETH: The rice makes such a nice compliment.

That is just delicious.

And it's nice and smokey too.

SENG: So the next bite, try it with the wood ear mushroom and a piece of tomato, and of course, a piece of pork belly.

SETH: Of course.

SENG: And maybe a piece of chili for the heat, right?

So you get all different textures and flavors.

SETH: This is going to be a pretty stacked bite.

SENG: Yeah, very stacked, yes.

SETH: That is so good.

The freshness too, of the produce and tomatoes.

SENG: And I think you should move forward to the next level.

SETH: The next level?

SENG: So you should try the papaya salad.

Are you ready?

SETH: I'm not sure I am ready.

SENG: Yes.

All right.

SETH: I hear papaya, I'm thinking nice and sweet.

I'm guessing here going to be another level of spice altogether.

SENG: Maybe get the sauce a little bit.

SETH: Okay.

SENG: Yes.

There you go.

SETH: Oh boy.

Ooh.

SENG: So you get this another level, which has also a lot of flavors that you still tasting every single ingredients in there.

SETH: And I'm glad there was a little sticky rice in that bite because you're right, those peppers.

SENG: Yeah.

SETH: It was great to be able to pick them right from the plant, but they don't mess around.

They pack a lot of heat.

SENG: Oh yeah.

Definitely.

It has more heat than you thought.

SETH: All these Lao flavors, they pack such a punch.

What do you see is sort of next for this Lao Food Movement?

SENG: We have been supporting a lot of Lao community.

So our future, we look forward to supporting other cultures, other countries as well, to be able to give them some sort of courage to be honest and true to themselves, their food, and their culture.

SETH: Well, I hope a lot more people follow your lead because this is so good.

Thanks for showing me the garden.

SENG: Thank you.

SETH: Thanks for taking me in the kitchen.

I really appreciate it, chef.

SENG: Thank you.

Thank you so much.