Bamboo soup is typical Laotian food. It is usually prepared with bamboo shoot and other ingredients such as yanang leaves, pork stock, padaek, lemongrass, pumpki, black fungus mushrooms and fish sauce. The soup is cooked slow without stirring to boil. Other ingredients can be added to enhance the flavor such as basil or chilly peppers. The boiling soup is usually left to simmer gently until slightly thickened before serving.