Laotian recipe
How to make Larb
ລາບ
Laos and the Lao-speaking northeast of Thailand
Finely chopped meat or fish, cooked or sometimes raw, mixed with lime juice, fish sauce, chilli, shallots, a lot of fresh mint and coriander, and toasted ground sticky rice, khao khua, which gives it a nutty crunch. It is served at room temperature with sticky rice and raw vegetables, and is often called the national dish of Laos.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons uncooked sticky (glutinous) rice, for the toasted rice powder
- 500 g minced chicken
- 3 tablespoons water or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, or to taste
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced, and 3 spring onions, chopped
- A large handful of mint leaves and a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
- To serve: sticky rice, lettuce leaves, cucumber and green beans
Method
- Toast the uncooked sticky rice in a dry frying pan over medium heat, shaking often, for 5 to 8 minutes until deep golden. Let it cool, then grind it to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder.
- Put the minced chicken and water in a pan over medium heat. Stir and break up the meat for about 6 to 8 minutes, until it is cooked right through with no pink left. Take the pan off the heat.
- Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and chilli flakes, then the shallots and spring onions. Taste: it should be sour, salty and spicy. Add more lime or fish sauce if needed.
- Just before serving, mix in the mint, coriander and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the toasted rice powder, and sprinkle a little more on top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with sticky rice and crisp raw vegetables to eat alongside.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
The word larb sounds like a Lao word for luck, so larb is served at weddings and at New Year to bring good fortune.
Take the trip to Laos
