The food of Isan is very hot and flavored with pungent herbs and seasonings. The common Isan dishes you perhaps have tried or heard of are ส้มตำ Som Tam (Shredded green papaya, tomatoes, hot red chillies salad) , ลาบ Larb (Spicy Minced Meat Salad), น้ำตก Nam Dtok (a dish similar to Larb but using bite-size pieces of meat rather than minced meat) . The Isan dish is usually served with sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียว Kaao Niao) and a plate of fresh herbs and vegetables.