Thai laab is an authentic minced meat salad combining cooked pork or chicken with toasted rice powder, lime juice, fish sauce, fresh herbs and chilli—finished in just 15 minutes with bright, punchy flavour.
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Make the rice powder - heat a small skillet or frying pan over medium heat and add the rice. Toast until the rice is a dark, golden brown and smells like popcorn. Grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to a fine grind, but not a fine powder.
Cook the mince - Preheat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of water to the frying pan and add the mince. Break the mince up using the back of your spoon while cooking, and stir occasionally. Don’t brown the mince and if all the water evaporates add a little more.
Add aromatics - when the mince is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. While the pan is still warm, add the shallots and stir them through, and give about 30 seconds for the residual heat to soften them. Add the lime juice, chilli, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Add the coriander/cilantro and the mint, and give everything a good stir to combine.
Adjust seasoning - adjust the salt / sour / heat / sweetness to your taste by adding additional fish sauce, lime juice, chilli and palm sugar to suit your taste.
Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours time to meld and develop. Serve with fried shallots and extra herbs if desired.
Laab is best eaten fresh, but leftover cooked laab can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently or serve cold, and refresh with extra lime juice and herbs before serving.
pestle and mortar or spice grinder (to grind toasted rice)
Laab is best served fresh, but you can cook the mince and prepare the rice powder up to a day ahead. Add the fresh herbs, lime juice and fish sauce just before serving to keep flavours vibrant.
Toasted rice powder adds nutty flavour, texture and body to the dressing. Toast the rice until dark golden and fragrant like popcorn, then grind to a coarse texture (not fine powder).
Yes. Pork or chicken work best because they absorb the dressing well, but lean ground beef or turkey are acceptable substitutes. Avoid very fatty ground meat.
Start with 2 Thai bird's eye chillies or 1 tsp chilli flakes, then taste and add more. You can also adjust after the 5-10 minute standing time if needed.
Laab is typically served warm, not cold. Cook the mince and immediately add the warm aromatics and dressing so the flavours meld while the mixture is still warm.
