Larb Gai (Laotian Minced Chicken Salad)

About This Recipe

Larb (laap) is Laos's national dish and one of mainland Southeast Asia's most addictive plates. Minced chicken is cooked briefly with a splash of stock, then tossed off-heat with toasted-rice powder (khao khua), fish sauce, lime juice, dried chili flakes, sliced shallots, spring onions, and a handful of mint and coriander leaves. The toasted rice gives the salad its signature nutty crunch and absorbs the dressing so the meat stays loose rather than soupy. Laap is traditionally served at room temperature alongside compact balls of sticky rice and a plate of raw cabbage, long beans, and basil leaves, all of which become vehicles for scooping up the meat. Across Vientiane and Luang Prabang it is everyday food; in Isan northeastern Thailand the same dish (larb gai) is a near-identical sibling.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gground chicken (use thigh meat for flavor)
• 3 tbspuncooked sticky rice (or jasmine rice)
• 3 tbspfish sauce (Thai or Lao)
• 3 tbspfresh lime juice
• 1 tspsugar (optional, to balance)
• 1–2 tspdried red chili flakes, to taste
• 4shallots, thinly sliced
• 4spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 stalklemongrass, very tender core finely chopped
• 1 small piecegalangal, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 large bunchfresh mint leaves
• 1 large bunchfresh coriander leaves
• 1 small bunchsawtooth coriander, chopped (optional)
• 100 mlchicken stock or water
• sticky rice and raw vegetables (cabbage, long beans, cucumber) to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the rice

   Heat a dry pan over medium-low. Add uncooked rice and toast, swirling constantly, until deep golden brown and intensely fragrant — about 6 minutes. Cool slightly.

2. 2

   Grind to powder

   Pulse the toasted rice in a spice grinder or pound in a mortar to a coarse sand-like powder. This is khao khua — the soul of larb.

3. 3

   Cook the chicken

   Heat a wok or wide pan over medium-high (no oil — chicken's own fat is enough). Add chicken stock or water and bring to a fast simmer.

4. 4

   Poach-fry the meat

   Add ground chicken. Break it up with a wooden spoon — the goal is small, separate crumbles, not big lumps. Cook until just no longer pink, about 5 minutes. The mixture should be moist but not soupy.

5. 5

   Move to a bowl

   Scrape chicken into a large mixing bowl. Let it cool for 3 minutes — dressing applied to scalding chicken loses its brightness.

6. 6

   Dress the salad

   Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili flakes, lemongrass, and galangal. Toss thoroughly. Taste — the dressing should hit salty, sour, hot, and barely sweet, in that order.

7. 7

   Add the rice powder

   Sprinkle in 2 heaped tbsp of the toasted rice powder. Toss again. The rice absorbs excess juice and gives essential crunch.

8. 8

   Add herbs last

   Add shallots, spring onions, mint, and both corianders. Fold gently — overworking bruises the herbs.

   Save a small handful of herbs and rice powder for topping the finished bowl.

9. 9

   Serve

   Pile larb on a plate. Surround with balls of sticky rice and a heap of raw cabbage, cucumber, and long beans. Eat with the hands, scooping larb with rice or vegetables.

Variations

• •

  Larb moo: same dish with ground pork.

• •

  Larb pla: with finely chopped fresh fish, like a Lao ceviche.

• •

  Vegetarian: substitute crumbled firm tofu or finely chopped mushrooms.

• •

  Northern Lao 'blood larb' adds a splash of raw blood for traditional richness — rarely made at home outside Laos.

Storage

Best eaten the same day. The herbs wilt in the fridge but the meat keeps 2 days; refresh leftover larb with new herbs, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of fresh rice powder.

Frequently Asked Questions