Kaipen

Name: Kaipen
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Laotian
Ingredients: 300g fresh river weed; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 3 cloves garlic, sliced; 2 tomatoes, chopped, for garnish

ໄກແຜ່ນ/kai-pen/

Also known as: Lao River Weed Crackers

About this dish

Crispy sheets of dried river weed studded with sesame seeds and garlic, a Luang Prabang specialty.

📍 Find the best Kaipen near me

AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs

Ingredients

🌿300g fresh river weed

🌿2 tbsp sesame seeds

🧄3 cloves garlic, sliced

🍅2 tomatoes, chopped, for garnish

Method

Serves 2

Rinse the river weed thoroughly and spread thin on drying racks.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, garlic, and tomato pieces.

Dry in the sun until fully crisp, turning as needed.

Deep fry the dried sheets briefly until puffed and crisp.

Serve as a snack with jaew bong dipping sauce.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Kaipen is a specialty of Luang Prabang, made from a specific river weed harvested from the Mekong.

User Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first!

Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.

🌍 Food Vlogs

Eating and cooking it at the source

🌍

No videos yet

What To Eat

The World's Food Guide