Larb ลาบ Thai Spicy Minced Meat Salad

Make the khao khua first: Before anything else, make your khao khua if you have not already. Toast half a cup of raw sticky rice in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden and nutty. Cool completely then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar. Set aside. This step can be done days ahead and stored in a jar, and once you have it ready, the rest of the recipe moves very quickl

Mix the dressing: In a small bowl mix together lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste it,it should be bright, sour, salty, and just barely sweet. This is the dressing that brings the whole dish to life so make sure you love it before it goes anywhere near the meat.

Cook the meat: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat with just a thin film of oil. Add the minced meat and break it apart as it cooks. Add a small splash of water or broth,2 to 3 tablespoons and keep the meat moving. Cook until just done and still moist, not grey and dry. Remove from heat and let cool for just one minute.

Dress the warm meat: While the meat is still warm, not hot, not cold, just warm transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over immediately and toss well. Add the khao khua and dried chili flakes and toss again. The warm meat will absorb the dressing beautifully, this is why the timing matters.

Add the shallots and herbs: Add the shallots, lemongrass, green onions, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh chilies if using. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly. Now add the mint, cilantro, and sawtooth coriander, all of it, generously. Toss once more. Taste and adjust,more lime for brightness, more fish sauce for salt, more chili flakes for heat. Keep adjusting until every element is exactly right.

Plate and serve immediately: Transfer to a wide, shallow serving plate and spread it out so all the herbs, meat, and shallots are visible and beautiful. Arrange raw cabbage wedges and long beans alongside for scooping. Serve immediately with sticky rice or jasmine rice and fresh lime wedges. In Thailand larb is eaten with the hands, a ball of sticky rice pressed between the fingers, used to scoop up the meat and herbs. That is the way.