Method
- Cut the fish into 3cm chunks. Pat dry.
- Pound minced lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots and chilies in a mortar to a fine paste.
- In a wide bowl, combine the fish, spice paste, padaek, fish sauce, rice flour, egg and salt. Mix gently. Stir in chopped dill, spring onion and Thai basil leaves.
- Soften banana leaves over a flame until pliable. Lay a softened leaf flat. Place a portion of the fish mixture (about 200g) in the centre.
- Fold the leaf over the fish to enclose: bring two opposite sides over, then the other two, securing with kitchen string into a tight rectangular parcel. Repeat for 4 parcels.
- Steam the parcels over rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes. The parcels will become heavy and the fish should be just cooked. Untie at the table; the steam is fragrant. Eat with sticky rice.
Common questions
Can Mok Pa be made ahead?
Mok Pa is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 25 minutes.
Is Mok Pa spicy?
Mok Pa as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Mok Pa vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Mok Pa to make at home?
Mok Pa sits at intermediate difficulty — total time about 50 minutes. The ingredients are not unusual but the timing requires attention.
Can Mok Pa be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Mok pa is one of Laos's most distinctive dishes — fish steamed in banana leaf with dill, the herb that signals Lao cooking more than any other. Dill is unusual in Southeast Asia generally; Laos uses it in mok pa, larb pa, and several other dishes. The technique honours the delicate fish flesh, which can disintegrate with direct heat. The padaek-and-dill combination is what makes mok pa unmistakably Lao; Cambodian fish amok uses kaffir lime instead, Thai hor mok uses curry paste. Mok pa is everyday food and also festive food.
