Larb (also spelled Laab) is a quintessential Isan and Lao dish that exemplifies the bold, vibrant flavors of northeastern Thai cuisine. This iconic 'meat salad' features seasoned ground meat tossed with fresh herbs, lime juice, fish sauce, toasted rice powder, and chilies. The signature ingredient, khao kua (toasted sticky rice powder), provides a distinctive nutty aroma and subtle crunch that sets larb apart from other Thai salads. Originally from Laos where it's considered a national dish, larb has become deeply ingrained in Isan food culture and is traditionally enjoyed at room temperature with sticky rice and fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat a dry pan or wok over medium-low heat. Add the uncooked sticky rice without any oil. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Toast for about 15 minutes until the rice turns golden brown and develops a popcorn-like aroma. The rice should transition from white to golden-yellow. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Grind the toasted rice in a food processor or pound with a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder. You should get about 1 heaping tablespoon of powder.
In a saucepan or wok, cook the ground pork over medium heat without adding oil (authentic larb is made without oil as the pork cooks in its own fat). Break the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until the pork is just done and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Don't overcook - you want to preserve the juices which will help create the sauce when mixed with the dressing ingredients. The meat should stay soft and moist. Turn off the heat.
With the heat off, add 1 heaping tablespoon of toasted rice powder and the Thai chili flakes to the cooked pork. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Stir everything together until the pork is evenly coated with the seasonings. The mixture should be well-combined and aromatic.
Thinly slice the Thai shallots. Slice the green onions. Coarsely chop the cilantro (including tender stems). Pluck the mint leaves from their stems. If using culantro, roughly chop the leaves.
Add all the prepared herbs and aromatics (shallots, green onions, cilantro, mint, and culantro) to the seasoned pork. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined. Now comes the most important part: taste and adjust the seasoning. The dish should have a perfect balance of sour (lime), salty (fish sauce), sweet (sugar), and spicy (chili). Adjust any of these elements to achieve the balance you prefer.
Transfer the larb to a serving plate. Garnish with additional fresh mint leaves, Thai basil if available, and extra culantro. Serve at room temperature alongside Thai sticky rice (khao neow) and a plate of fresh vegetables such as cabbage wedges, green beans, cucumber slices, and extra mint and cilantro sprigs.
Nutrition
- Calories
- 285 calories
- Protein Content
- 22gg
- Carbohydrate Content
- 12gg
- Fat Content
- 16gg
- Fiber Content
- 2gg