Larb Gai

Name: Larb Gai
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Laos and northeastern Thailand
Ingredients: 2 tbsp uncooked glutinous (sticky) rice, or jasmine rice; 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced chicken, thigh meat if possible; 60 ml (¼ cup) water or chicken stock; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice, from 2–3 limes; 1 tsp sugar, optional; 1 tsp dried chili flakes, Thai roasted chili powder if you have it; 0.5–2 tsp to taste; 3 small shallots, thinly sliced; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 15 g (½ cup) mint leaves; 15 g (½ cup) cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped; 1 head little gem or butter lettuce, leaves separated; ½ cucumber, sliced; sticky rice or jasmine rice, Perfect Rice

Lao and Thai minced chicken salad with toasted rice, lime and herbs

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 25 min
Total: 25 min
Level: Easy

Larb is a warm salad of minced meat dressed with lime, fish sauce and chili, thrown together with a fistful of fresh herbs. What makes it unmistakable is khao khua — raw sticky rice toasted until nutty and ground — which adds crunch and a toasty aroma. Make your own; it takes ten minutes.

Ingredients

Toasted rice powder

2 tbspuncooked glutinous (sticky) riceor jasmine rice

Larb

500 gminced chicken (1 lb 2 oz)thigh meat if possible
60 mlwater or chicken stock (¼ cup)
3 tbspfish sauce
60 mllime juice (¼ cup)from 2–3 limes
1 tspsugaroptional
1 tspdried chili flakesThai roasted chili powder if you have it; 0.5–2 tsp to taste
3small shallotsthinly sliced
4scallionsthinly sliced
15 gmint leaves (½ cup)
15 gcilantro (½ cup)leaves and tender stems, chopped

To serve

1head little gem or butter lettuceleaves separated
½cucumbersliced
sticky rice or jasmine ricePerfect Rice

Diet: Dairy-free, Gluten-free
Allergens: fish, celery
Origin: Laos and northeastern Thailand (Isan)

Method

Toast the raw rice in a dry frying pan over medium heat, shaking often, until deep golden and smelling of popcorn, 6–8 minutes. Cool, then grind to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder. 7 min
Put the chicken and water in the same pan over medium heat. Cook, breaking it up into fine crumbs with a spoon, until no pink remains and it reaches 74°C (165°F), 5–6 minutes. It should be moist, not browned. 6 min
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes, so it's warm, not scorching. 2 min
Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chili. Taste: it should be sour, salty and hot in equal measure. Adjust.
Add the shallots, scallions, mint, cilantro and 1½ tbsp of the rice powder and toss well.
Pile onto a plate, sprinkle with the remaining rice powder, and serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping, cucumber and rice.

Why it works

Cooking the ground meat in a little water rather than oil keeps it tender and lets it soak up the dressing like a sponge. Toasting rice triggers Maillard reactions in its starch and proteins, giving a nutty, roasted flavor and a crunch that ties the salad together. Letting the meat cool slightly before adding herbs and lime keeps them fresh rather than wilted and cooked.

Common mistakes

Browning the chicken hard: larb wants tender, juicy crumbs, not crisp bits.
Adding herbs to scorching meat: they wilt and blacken. Wait a couple of minutes.
Grinding the rice to dust: a slightly coarse powder gives better crunch.

Variations

Larb moo (pork): Use minced pork, cooked the same way to 71°C (160°F).
Mushroom larb: Use 500 g finely chopped mixed mushrooms, sautéed dry, and soy sauce in place of fish sauce for a vegan version.

Make ahead and storage

Toast and grind the rice powder up to 2 weeks ahead; keep airtight. Dress the larb just before eating.

Notes

Celery only if you use stock rather than water.