Terms for the Various Culinary Operations

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By Phia Sing

Published 1981

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Mok means to sear or cook by placing something directly into the glowing embers and hot ashes of a charcoal fire. What is put in may or may not be protected by a wrapping of banana leaf. For searing, as in the initial preparation of chilli peppers or shallots for many dishes, there would be no wrapping.

Nung means to steam. Food is often steamed after being enclosed in banana leaf wrappers, but it may also be steamed unwrapped. A houad, the Lao sort of steamer, is illustrated. Mawk is the name for something which has been steamed.