You would expect Thai Larb to have a list of complex ingredients, but it doesn’t. This Larb is easy to make and tastes mouthwatering good!
Simple and authentic tasting
In order to recreate the perfect Thai Larb, I went through a bunch of ‘Larb or Laab’ recipes. By doing this, I got into a bit of a muddle because there are so many ways to make Larb and I found myself questioning what are the traditional ingredients in Larb. For example, some recipes have lemongrass or toasted rice and others don’t.
Nara, my sister, didn’t mind eating Larb repeatedly when I was doing ‘testers’ because it’s healthy and she loves it as much as I do. However, Tomi won’t touch it because he has it in his head that he won’t enjoy it. He is not a fan of Thai spices and the zesty flavours that come with Thai cuisine.
Tomi would dine in a Thai restaurant, but only for me. After these years of being married to me, who loves discovering and trying new cuisines, Tomi’s still a ‘steak and potato’ guy deep down inside.
We once had a heated argument because I wanted to take him to a fancy restaurant on his birthday. He told me he doesn’t enjoy fine dining and rather be at a good steakhouse with beers. Tomi also insinuated that I organised that booking because it was something that I wanted and not him (which was only partly true!)
I adore Thai food because I love how aromatic their dishes. You get sour, sweet, salty and spicy and it’s all perfectly balanced to make our tastebuds sing! It’s no wonder my mouth waters when I think about Larb because, like most Thai dishes, it combines all those flavours in one.
After a few attempts at making Larb, I’m finally thrilled with being able to recreate Larb that tastes just like the ones we find in good Thai restaurants. It may surprise you to see that the ingredients list is very reasonable, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
What is the purpose of toasting rice?
For me, the star ingredient in larb is no doubt the toasted sticky rice because larb isn’t larb if the toasted rice is missing! Trust me, I’ve ordered larb from Thai places and the toasted rice wasn’t there!
Traditionally, Thais use raw (uncooked) sticky or glutinous rice for larb. They toast the rice with no oil in a frying pan until it releases a nutty popcorn-like smell and the grains turn brown to dark brown. It’s then pounded with a mortar and pestle until it turns into a coarse powder.
Toasted rice is aromatic and adds a delicious layer of nutty flavour to dishes and also adds texture. It’s also unique tasting but if you’re a larb lover like me, you know it’ll complete the dish perfectly. The toasted rice also absorbs lots of liquids, so add it to the larb just before serving to prevent the larb from drying out.
If you can’t find Thai sticky rice, Jasmine rice would also work. The grains of sticky rice are shorter, chubbier and chalky-like. Once toasted, sticky rice is easier to grind than Jasmine rice. I used a mini food processor to grind my rice, and it worked brilliantly.
Toasting rice only takes a few minutes, so if possible, don’t skip it! It’s definitely something you don’t want to miss out on!
What goes well with Larb?
Some Thai places serve Larb with fresh lettuce cups, just like they do with San Choy Bow. For me, I love eating Larb with loads of hot steamed rice. Larb by itself is a very light meal, so it makes sense to have it with rice and make it a complete meal. That’s if I’m not dieting, of course! But rice is a weakness of mine.
What type of meat goes into Larb? Ground pork or chicken is the most common meat I’ve seen in Larb. However, there is also beef, duck and fish larb available but they are rare here.
The mince meat Thais use in their larb is much coarser than the ones we get at the supermarket. This is because they’ve minced the meat themselves using cleavers, which is labour intensive but it’s worth it. The meat has a ‘bouncer and full’ texture, making it much more toothsome because you can taste the meat.
Here are a few more Thai recipes that may interest you:
Ingredients for Thai Larb
Pork mince (ground pork) – I used regular (not lean) ground pork, but you could use ground chicken, beef or even turkey.
Raw sticky rice (uncooked) – I purchased a packet of Thai sticky rice (glutinous rice) at my local Asian grocery store. If sticky rice isn’t available, then substitute for an equal amount of uncooked Jasmine rice.
Eschalots – I’ve seen shallots called ‘eschalots’ or ‘French shallots’ here. Shallots look like small brown onions but are skinny and oval-shaped, and when cut open they look like red onions. They’re difficult to peel and are more expensive than other types of onions. Shallots are mild in flavour compared to onions, but you could use brown (yellow) onions as a substitute.
Fish sauce – My favourite brand is Thai ‘Squid’ fish sauce, but any brand of fish sauce will work. It’s sold at supermarkets in the International section or at an Asian grocery store. Fish sauce is pungent with a strong fish smell but adds wonderful flavours to Asian cuisines.
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How to make Thai Larb
Step-by-step guide with photos
Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, then place in the rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes constantly stirring until the rice grains have darkened and they smell aromatic but take care not to burn them as they’ll be bitter. Leave the rice to cool down for a few minutes before grinding in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Grind until fine but coarse (not into powder) for texture.
Heat oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the pork. Stir-fry the pork until it’s brown and cooked through, then add in the dried chillies, fish sauce and sugar. Cook for a further two minutes, then taste the pork and add salt or pepper if needed. Transfer the pork mixture into a large bowl, then add the eschalot, spring onions, coriander and mint and lime juice then toss again to combine. Mix in the toasted rice just before serving.
Leftovers – Larb is best served immediately whilst warm. To store, allow the Larb to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer into a sealed container and place in the fridge. It’ll be good for up to 2 days.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
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Cheers (I’ll drink to that) – Cat Tre
Thai larb
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp raw glutinous rice (uncooked sticky rice) (NOTE 1)
- 1 tbsp peanut oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
- 500 gm pork mince (ground pork or chicken) (NOTE 2)
- 2 tsp chilli flakes (more or less adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (NOTE 3)
- 2 tsp brown sugar (or grated palm sugar)
- salt and pepper to taste (if needed)
- 1 large eschalot (French shallot, cut in half and sliced thinly) (NOTE 4)
- 1 spring onion (green onion/scallion sliced finely)
- ⅓ cup coriander leaves (cilantro)
- ⅓ cup mint leaves
- 2 tbsp lime juice (from 1 or 2 limes)
Instructions
- Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat, then place in the rice. Cook for 2-3 minutes constantly stirring until the rice grains have darkened and they smell aromatic but take care not to burn them as they'll be bitter. Leave the rice to cool down for a few minutes before grinding in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Grind until fine but coarse (not into powder) for texture.
- Heat oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the pork. Stir-fry the pork until it's brown and cooked through, then add in the dried chillies, fish sauce and sugar. Cook for a further two minutes, then taste the pork and add salt or pepper if needed. Transfer the pork mixture into a large bowl, then add the eschalot, spring onion, coriander and mint and lime juice then toss again to combine. Mix in the toasted rice just before serving.
Today I cooked the Thai Larb for dinner at a warm summer evening, and my husband said that it tasted Michelin like! ? We had it with some cooked white jasmine rice (the same rice I also used for the larb), and fresh lettuce and fried pimientos, served with a nice glass of chilled red wine. We will definitely repeat it! ?????
Hi Kerstin,
That compliment from your husband made me break out into a happy dance!!! Seriously, one of the best things I’ve heard in a while. Thanks for trying this recipe and leaving this amazing feedback. Love the photo, and your Larb looks absolutely amazing!
Enjoy your beautiful European summer x