Minced chicken tossed with toasted rice powder, lime, fish sauce, and mint, spooned into crisp lettuce cups.
Larb (or laab) is a minced meat salad from Northeastern Thailand and Laos, built on a base of toasted rice powder (khao khua) that gives it a distinctive nutty crunch and slightly thickened texture unlike anything achieved with breadcrumbs or flour. Chicken thigh, cooked quickly and kept slightly loose rather than compacted, is tossed hot with fish sauce, lime juice, and a generous amount of dried chili flake so the seasoning soaks in while the meat is still warm. Toasting the raw rice in a dry pan until it's deep golden brown, then grinding it coarsely, is the one step you cannot skip — it's what separates larb from a generic ground-meat salad. Fresh herbs go in last and off the heat, since even a minute in a hot pan would wilt the mint and cilantro past the point of adding brightness. Served spooned into cold, crisp lettuce leaves with extra herbs and rice on the side, larb is meant to be eaten with your hands, folding the wrap closed just before each bite so the crunch stays intact.
Serves 4
Toast raw rice in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until deep golden, 5-6 minutes. Cool, then grind coarsely in a spice grinder or mortar.
Add ground chicken and water to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking it into small pieces, until just cooked through, about 6-7 minutes.
Off heat, immediately stir in fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes, and sugar so the seasoning absorbs into the warm meat.
Stir in shallots and scallions, then let cool for 2-3 minutes so the fresh herbs won't wilt.
Fold in mint, cilantro, and toasted rice powder just before serving.
Spoon into lettuce leaves and serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
Toast the rice powder in small batches — it burns quickly once it starts to color, so don't walk away from the pan.
Season the meat while it's still hot; larb tossed cold never absorbs the fish sauce and lime the same way.
Add the toasted rice powder last, right before serving, or it turns soggy and loses its crunch.
Use ground pork or beef instead of chicken for larb moo or larb neua.
Make it vegetarian with finely chopped mushrooms sautéed until dry, seasoned the same way.
Serve over steamed sticky rice instead of lettuce for a heartier plate.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days; the toasted rice powder softens over time, so add a fresh sprinkle before serving leftovers.
Larb originates in Laos and is the national dish there, also deeply rooted in Thailand's Isaan region where Lao culinary traditions are strong. Toasted rice powder is a defining Lao-Isaan technique distinct from central Thai cooking.
Yes, it's sold as khao khua in Asian grocery stores and works fine, though freshly toasted rice has a noticeably stronger nutty aroma.
Thai dried chili flakes (prik pon) are ideal, but crushed red pepper flakes are a reasonable substitute — start with less since the heat level varies.
Ground chicken releases liquid as it cooks — make sure to cook it down until the pan is mostly dry before adding the seasoning, or drain excess liquid before mixing in the fish sauce and lime.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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