Mok Pa: Fish Steamed in Banana Leaf with Dill

Mok Pa: Fish Steamed in Banana Leaf with Dill

Walk through a morning market in Luang Prabang and you will see them stacked in neat green rows: little banana-leaf parcels, folded and pinned, waiting for the steamer. Inside is mok pa — one of northern Laos' most fragrant dishes, where fish is pounded with herbs, wrapped up tight, and steamed until the leaf itself becomes part of the flavour.

Why banana leaf matters

The leaf is not just packaging. As it steams, banana leaf gives off a soft, grassy perfume that soaks into the fish, and it keeps every parcel moist without any added oil or coconut milk. In Laos the parcels are traditionally pinned with small bamboo picks; at home, toothpicks or a fold tucked underneath do the same job. If you cannot find banana leaf, parchment paper inside a layer of foil is a workable stand-in — you will lose a little of that green aroma, but the herby fish inside will still be unmistakably Lao.

What goes in the parcel

• Firm white fish — catfish is traditional on the Mekong; tilapia, sea bass or cod all work well at home
• Fresh dill, in generous handfuls — the signature herb of mok pa
• Lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaf, pounded fine
• Shallots, garlic and fresh chillies
• Padaek (fermented fish) for depth, with fish sauce to adjust the salt
• Sticky-rice paste or a little rice flour, to bind the mixture and keep it tender
• Lao or Thai basil and spring onion greens, stirred through at the end

Dill is the point

Many steamed-fish dishes across Southeast Asia lean on lemongrass and lime. Mok pa does too — but then it adds dill, a lot of it, and that changes everything. Dill is beloved in northern Lao and Isan cooking in a way that surprises visitors who expect only basil and coriander. Its fresh, almost anise-like greenness lifts the rich fish and the funk of the padaek, and it is the flavour people from Luang Prabang taste first when they describe this dish from home.

How it tastes

Open a parcel at the table and the steam carries lemongrass, lime leaf and dill all at once. The fish stays silky and just set, coated in its pounded herb paste rather than a sauce. It is savoury first, gently warm from the chilli rather than fiery, and clean-tasting despite the fermented depth underneath. Nothing is fried, nothing is heavy — it is one of the lightest dishes on the Lao table, and one of the most aromatic.

Simple home recipe (serves 4)

1. Soak 1 tablespoon of sticky (glutinous) rice in water for at least 2 hours. Drain and pound or blend with a splash of water to a rough paste. If you have no sticky rice, stir 1 teaspoon of rice flour into 2 tablespoons of water instead.
2. Pound 1 stalk of lemongrass (tender part only), 3 slices of galangal, 2 kaffir lime leaves (centre stem removed), 3 shallots, 3 garlic cloves and 2–3 fresh chillies to a coarse paste.
3. Cut 600g firm white fish fillet into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix the fish with the pounded paste, the sticky-rice paste, 1 tablespoon of padaek or fish sauce, and a pinch of salt. Fold through a large handful of chopped dill, a handful of basil leaves and 3 chopped spring onions.
4. Soften banana leaves by passing them briefly over a flame or pouring over hot water, so they fold without cracking. Cut into pieces about 25cm square. Spoon a portion of fish into the centre of each, fold the leaf into a neat parcel and secure with toothpicks. You should get 6–8 parcels.
5. Steam over boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until the leaf has darkened and the fish is just cooked through and fragrant. Rest 2 minutes before opening.

How to eat it

Serve the parcels still closed, one or two per person, with sticky rice and a selection of blanched vegetables and jeow on the side. Each eater opens their own parcel at the table — that little burst of herby steam is part of the pleasure. Leftovers are best eaten the same day, gently re-steamed rather than microwaved, so the dill stays bright.