Fish

Fish, for which the Lao word is pa, are plentiful in Laos, not only in rivers, lakes and ponds, but also in the wet paddy fields and the irrigation canals and ditches. Fish and Fish Dishes of Laos by Alan Davidson gives details of the 80 or so species which are most commonly marketed and eaten in Laos. The recipes of Phia Sing refer to a surprisingly small proportion of these, perhaps because they reflect what were the personal preferences of the Royal Family among those available in the area of Luang Prabang. The species used in his recipes are listed below. (Pa nang, incidentally, means any scaleless fish, such as catfish; and pa ked is the general name for scaly fish.)