Thai Minced Meat Salad (Larb)
ลาบ LarbSay it: LAHB
Larb is a bold, aromatic minced-meat salad from northeastern Thailand, also known as Isan. It is made by tossing just-cooked pork, beef or chicken with lime juice, fish sauce, chilies, shallots and toasted rice powder, then folding in fresh mint and cilantro. The result is sour, salty, hot and nutty, with a little crunch from the rice. Larb is an everyday dish in Thailand, sold at street stalls and served at home with sticky rice and raw vegetables.
Thai Minced Meat Salad (Larb)
ลาบ, Larb
Pronounced LAHB
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the toasted rice powder
For the larb
Method
Make the toasted rice powder. put the raw rice in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast, stirring often, until the grains are deep golden and smell nutty, 5-7 minutes. Tip onto a plate to cool, then grind in a spice grinder or mortar to a coarse powder; set aside.
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and water and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until no pink remains and the juices run clear, 5-7 minutes; do not let it brown hard.
Transfer the meat to a large bowl and let it cool for 2-3 minutes, until warm rather than steaming hot.
In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, lime juice and chopped chilies.
Add the shallots and scallions to the warm meat, then pour over the fish-sauce mixture and toss well.
Sprinkle in the toasted rice powder and toss again; the meat should look moist and lightly coated, not soupy.
Fold in the mint and cilantro just until evenly distributed, reserving a few leaves for garnish if you like.
Taste and adjust with a little more lime juice or fish sauce from the measured amounts if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature with sticky rice and fresh vegetables.
Regional variants
Use ground chicken, beef or duck instead of pork. In Laos, larb is often seasoned with padaek (fermented fish sauce) and served with a wider plate of raw vegetables.
Cook's notes
- Toast the rice over medium-low heat and stop when it is deep golden and fragrant; burnt grains turn the powder bitter.
- Cook the meat just until no pink remains, then toss it with the dressing while still warm so it absorbs the lime and fish sauce.
- Taste before serving: larb should lead with sour lime and salt, followed by chili heat, with a nutty finish from the rice powder.
Serve with
Sticky rice, raw cabbage, cucumber, long beans, and Thai iced tea or cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
Best served immediately while the meat is warm; leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days, though the herbs will soften.
