Thai people's cuisine is various so makes the great impression on visitors. One of the Thai people's dishes most distincti`ve is “Cham Cheo”. For Thai families in Dien Bien province, “Cham cheo” is an indispensable dish in the daily meals of Thai people. It helps to increase the flavor of the dishes. It’s a special kind of sauce. The main ingredients of “cham cheo” includes dried chili, roasted salt, garlic, chopped cilantro, lemongrass and “Mac Khen”.

 “Cham cheo” is an indispensable dish in the daily meals of Thai people (pasgo.vn).

Mac Khen is a wild species of the anise family, with essential oils, when fruiting will form small bunches of fruit, emitting a mild aroma.   At the end of summer, local people often go to the forest and collect the fruit. The small bunches of Mac Khen are dried out under the sunlight for months. After about a month, these fruits will be dried and turned brown. Their cover will be cracked imposing the tiny black seeds. The dried Mac Khen are sold in local market or stored to use.

The small bunches of Mac Khen in the forest. (Photo: internet)

The dried Mac Khen. (Photo: internet)

To make “cham cheo”, They not only use the “mac khen” pounder but also making with other types of herbs. All these vegetables are cleaned and sliced. They have to slice all these herbs then put them together with chilies and “mac khen” in the motar to crush. 

 The main ingredients of “cham cheo” includes dried chili, roasted salt, garlic, chopped cilantro, lemongrass and “Mac Khen”.  (Photo: pasgo.vn).

The most common dish served with “cham cheo” is steamed sticky rice. A piece of steamed sticky rice combined with the fragrant of “cham cheo” is something you should not ignore when you visit a Thai family in Dien Bien city. Apart from accompanying sticky rice, many people like eating “cham cheo” with boiled buffalo meat or other kind of boiled and grilled meat.

Many people like eating “cham cheo” with boiled buffalo meat or other kind of boiled and grilled meat (pasgo.vn).

The most common dish served with “cham cheo” is steamed sticky rice (dacsanhoanglam.com).

The dried "Cham Cheo" (dacsanhoanglam.com).

Dienbien.gov.vn