Like the Hmong, Mien food is mostly very simple, and the traditional diet consists of lots of vegetable soups and fried vegetable dishes eaten with steamed rice. Families often raise pigs and chickens to be eaten on special occasions. At other times, protein comes from fish and wild animals such as birds and squirrels.

Geng Gai (Chicken curry with wax gourd)

Put about four spoonfuls of oil in a saucepan and heat. Add five cloves of chopped garlic and two spoons of chopped ginger (or more if you prefer). Also add two heads of smashed galangal and fresh chili to taste. (If using dried chili, add after the chicken is cooked). Cook spices until fragrant. Place the chopped up chicken, chopped wax gourd and one and a half spoons of salt in the saucepan. Add about half a glass of water and continue to stir for five minutes. Add another half a glass of water, cover, and leave to simmer for five minutes. Then add more water to cover the chicken and boil for a further ten minutes. Taste, and add fish or soybean sauce if needed. Add some pepper and two spoonfuls of chopped coriander and spring onion, and add more chili if needed. Eat with rice.

Narm Prik

In a mortar and pestle pound five cloves of garlic, fifteen fresh red or green chilis, a pinch of salt. Add one or two peeled tomatoes that have been baked on the coals of a fire and pound together with the chili paste. Add one teaspoon of chopped coriander and spring onion. Taste, and add fish or soybean sauce if needed.