Thai Larb is a vibrant minced meat salad combining cooked ground chicken with roasted rice powder, fresh herbs, and a tangy fish sauce-lime dressing, traditionally served in lettuce wraps with sticky rice. Its signature balance of spicy, salty, sour, and herbaceous flavors makes it a light yet satisfying Thai dish.
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Prepare the Roasted Rice Powder: Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the glutinous rice and toast it, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown and fragrant.
Remove the rice from the pan and let it cool. Then grind it into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Set aside.
Cook the Meat: Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallots, garlic, and Thai chilies. Sauté until fragrant and slightly golden.
Add the ground chicken and cook until fully cooked and no longer pink, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks.
Prepare the Larb Dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Taste and adjust the flavors as needed.
Assemble the Larb: Once the meat is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat. Add the roasted rice powder to the cooked meat and mix well.
Pour the Larb dressing over the meat and toss to combine.
Add Fresh Herbs: Add chopped cilantro, mint leaves, and green onions to the Larb. Toss to combine.
Serve: Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon the Larb mixture onto the lettuce leaves.
Serve with additional fresh herbs, sliced cucumber, and lime wedges on the side.
Refrigerate cooked meat 2–3 days in an airtight container; assemble with dressing and fresh herbs only just before serving to prevent wilting.
mortar and pestle · spice grinder
Yes. The recipe works with ground pork, beef, turkey, or tofu as noted in the ingredients list. Cook times remain the same until the meat is fully cooked or tofu is heated through.
Roasted rice powder adds a nutty flavor, coarse texture, and helps absorb the dressing. Toast glutinous rice until golden brown, then grind it coarsely in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
Heat level depends on Thai bird's eye chilies. Start with 1 chili, taste, and adjust upward. Remove seeds for less heat, or omit entirely if you prefer mild.
Prepare components separately and assemble just before serving. Cooked meat can refrigerate 2–3 days; add dressing and fresh herbs only when serving to prevent wilting.
Use a mortar and pestle for authentic coarse texture, or a spice grinder for faster results. Avoid a blender, which may over-process it into a fine flour.
