By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
40 cal · 10 min
Jeow Mak Len (Lao Spicy Tomato Dip)
Recipe GLPR26413dcfb6ba3c
A vibrant Lao condiment featuring charred tomatoes, fresh garlic, and hot Thai chilies blended into a smoky, spicy dip. This sauce is aromatic and bold, traditionally served with sticky rice and vegetables as a dipping sauce or flavor enhancer.
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Ingredients
12 ounce Cherry tomatoes
10 Garlic cloves
7 Thai chili peppers
2 Shallots
1 tablespoon Fish sauce
Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Directions
Heat a dry skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat. Once very hot, add the cherry tomatoes and char them for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until their skins blister and blacken slightly. Transfer to a mortar or blender.
In the same hot pan, briefly char the garlic cloves and Thai chili peppers for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and lightly charred. Add to the tomatoes.
Char the shallots in the pan for 2–3 minutes until soft and slightly blackened. Transfer to the mortar or blender with the other ingredients.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the charred vegetables together until roughly textured, or pulse them in a blender until you reach a chunky-smooth consistency. Do not over-blend; the dip should have some texture.
Stir in the fish sauce and mix until fully combined. Taste and adjust salt or heat as desired.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chopped fresh cilantro if using. Serve warm or at room temperature as a dip with sticky rice, raw vegetables, or grilled meats.
Comments
Thai chili peppers are the hard stop: you'll need a second trip to an Asian market in Charlotte, likely on Sharonview Street near Chinatown, since Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger won't stock them reliably. Fish sauce is available at most major chains but is a specialty ingredient many Charlotte kitchens don't keep on hand. The other ingredients—cherry tomatoes, garlic, shallot, cilantro—are stocked everywhere and cherry tomatoes hit their peak in late summer through early fall, though they work year-round. The 10-minute claimed time is honest for the actual cooking if you have everything on hand. This dip is fresh, bright, and keeps just fine in the fridge for 2–3 days, so leftovers work well with crackers or raw vegetables; the real cost is the trip, not the ingredients themselves once you have them.
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