Thai larb moo is an authentic minced pork salad from Isaan cuisine, balanced with fish sauce, lime juice, toasted sticky rice powder, and fresh mint, cilantro, and shallots. Its standout trait is the nutty depth from hand-toasted rice powder ground into coarse crumbs.
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Heat a frying pan on low heat and toss in the uncooked Thai sticky rice (no oil). Stir continuously, like roasting peanuts or coffee. Toast until the rice turns from white to golden yellow, almost brown like wheat. It will smell almost like popcorn. This takes about 15 minutes.
Once the toasted rice has cooled, put it into a stone mortar and pestle and pound until it becomes a coarse powder. A blender or food processor will also work. Set the toasted rice powder aside in a bowl.
Add 300 grams of minced pork to a small saucepan. Fry the pork, breaking it into small minced pieces, until fully cooked through. For best flavor, leave the oils that come out (or drain and add a splash of water for a healthier option). Take the pork off the heat.
Leaving the pork in the same pot, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the toasted rice powder and ½ - 1 tablespoon of chili flakes.
Add a pinch of sugar, ½ tablespoon of fish sauce, and squeeze in the juice from 1 - 2 limes (about 1½ limes for a sour result).
Give the pork and seasoning a quick stir.
Peel and slice the shallots, finely mince about 5 green onions and a few culantro leaves (if using), and pluck about 20 mint leaves off the stem. Throw everything into the saucepan with the pork.
Give the larb moo a good mix, making sure all the spices and dressing coat the pork.
Taste test. Adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice for sourness, or chili flakes for heat.
Dish out onto a plate and garnish with more mint leaves, Thai sweet basil, and culantro.
Larb moo is best eaten within 2–3 hours of assembly. Store cooked pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; store toasted rice powder separately for up to 1 week. Assemble fresh just before serving.
stone mortar and pestle (or blender/food processor for rice powder) · frying pan (for toasting rice) · small saucepan (for cooking pork)
Toasted rice powder (kao kua) is uncooked Thai sticky rice toasted in a dry pan for about 15 minutes until golden, then pounded into coarse crumbs. It adds nutty flavor and texture, and is not optional in authentic larb moo.
Larb moo is best eaten fresh within a few hours. The herbs will wilt and the pork will dry out if stored overnight. Prepare components ahead (cook pork, make rice powder, prep herbs separately) and assemble just before serving.
Serve with sticky rice (khao), fresh cabbage leaves, cucumber slices, and som tam (green papaya salad). The sticky rice is essential—it's used to scoop up the meat and sauce.
Break the minced pork into small pieces as it fries and cook until no pink remains and all pieces are cooked through, about 5–8 minutes over medium heat.
Yes. Larb gai (chicken) and larb beef are common variations. Adjust cooking time slightly depending on the meat; the seasoning ratio stays the same.
