Herby Pork Larb With Chile Recipe (2024)

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ShadowThuy

Vietnamese food also uses rice powder, ground from toasted uncooked rice, called "thinh". You can get it in small packets in Asian markets, usually located near the spices and the various starches, like tapioca and rice flour. For crispy fried shallots,Trader Joe's sells containers of "fried onions" that tastes just like it. Saves time without foregoing taste or authenticity.

HR

While I was living in Indonesia I learned from my cook to fry dried onion flakes (the kind you find in jars in the spice section) instead of fresh shallots. This yields a toasty brown and crunchy result in seconds and is much less oily than the fresh shallots, which catch oil in all their nooks and crannies. Tastes delicious too.

Atara

Loved this recipe! The lime levels are perfect. I added chopped peanuts to it which gave it a nice crunch. Would definitely recommend doing a super fine grind on the rice. COOK THIS NOW.

betts

Love this. Makes a great light dinner on hot nights.In my opinion, the toasted rice powder doesn’t add enough flavor for the effort. Use finely chopped unsalted peanuts. Yes I know that the rice is traditional.This recipe is way better than any lettuce wraps in a restaurant. Even good as leftovers. Was tempted to add rice noodles for salad entree for the leftovers.

SH in SM

Didn't feel like toasting and grinding up the jasmine rice, but I had a box of Rice Krispies at home so I just smashed that up with the bottom of a cup instead. Tasted great. Live dangerously!

KWH

Great as written. I'm all for saving time, but ignore the comment about "fussy" rice powder. It only takes about 5 minutes to make and really takes the dish to another level.

C. Musick

I followed the recipe to a tee PLUS added 3 sliced garlic cloves and it knocked out of the park! Exactly like our Thai restaurant's dish. Even better here at home. Good job;-)

Joe A.

A larb also works great as a filling for lettuce cups if you're trying to stay away from rice. An easy sub for the fresh bird's eye chili would be serranos, et al. I keep my leftover broken rice in the freezer; it goes bad fairly quickly.

Bob

This dish (more properly Anglicized and spelled "lahp" - I speak and write Thai after living there for many years) is most commonly made with ground beef, at least in Isaan. This pork version sounds good, and the seasoning seems correct. Try to use real Thai chili peppers - "prik kee noo." That will make it truly authentic, and HOT!

Claudine Jones

General consensus in our kitchen was that this is a keeper. It didn't need extra salt because fish sauce is already salty in our humble opinion. Left out the red chili flakes and added some mild jalapeno. Could probably use a little more lime juice. As to the rice powder: this was the single most dare I say authentic ingredient that I think I would have missed had I not gone to the trouble of making it. Not really that difficult; used my mortar and pestle.

MFP

Excellent recipe. The toasted rice added that great Larb texture. Next time will make a bunch and keep it on hand.

Barbara

This is the best Thai dish I have ever made, and I couldn't be more pleased!Too fish saucy for some in the family, so more for me...

quilter

I left out the bird chili and used about 1/3 of a jalapeño-no seeds, used 1 T miso paste with a couple tablespoons of low sodium soy mixed to sub for fish sauce, forgot the sugar and omitted the rice. Served on a leaf of bok Choy with a base of jasmine rice and heaped the pork and herb mix on top. Also added a slaw of jicama, cucumber, red pepper and thinly sliced bok choy dressed sparingly with a mix of soy, sesame oil and unseasoned rice vinegar topped with toasted sesame seeds. Yum!

Paula

That is the tops of cilantro plants as they are starting to flower.

ecdrury

I've eaten vegetarian versions of this with tofu, mushrooms, and even banana blossoms substituted for the pork/meat. Very tasty!

Brenda

I made it with pork and it was excellent. I might have used a bit more than the called for herbs. Served with both rice and roasted cabbage. The toasted rice powder is worth the effort. Though, I've used peanuts and fried onions as a past Larb topping and they work.

Momrat3

I cooked it as written, except that I didn't roast the iceberg lettuce. The whole family loved this recipe. Even my picky grandchildren snarfed it down! I managed to get one small wrap for myself, but it was great to see them enjoy this tasty dish. I had brown rice on the side to sop up what fell out of the wraps. Definitely on the repeat list at my house, but I will triple the recipe if family comes to dinner.

Frankie

So delicious, and satisfies all the right flavor notes of this cuisine for me. Using a coffee grinder for the rice is an easy solution to the 'fussiness'. This dish kicked off my absolute obsession with bird's eye chilies.

bippitybop

Add no salt, at least without tasting, because at least my fish sauce is plenty salty and I am an over-salter.

Robin

This is as good as the larb I get at restaurants, so yummy and easy to make. I toasted the rice and ground it by hand in a bowl with an empty wine bottle; the rice is brittle enough to grind easily like this. I used ground chicken, and I found Asian fried onions at my local grocery store. I love how herbaceous it is. Had it with rice, a great dish even for a chilly San Francisco summer evening.

Ruth

Just delicious. I've made multiple times now. I sub jalapeno for the birds eye as that is what I can find and never skip the toasted rice. Delightful and fast!

Carlee

One of the only recipes I’ve made “as written” exactly and it’s incredible every time. No alteration needed :)

ZT

This is always a hit.

danicas notes

Use Arborio rice

Joel

This is such a simple, delicious dish. Larb is my go-to meal at Thai restaurants and it is now in my rotation at home. Amazing!

Betsy

Excellent recipe! Made as is except for the bird's eye chili, which I couldn't find, and used one serrano. Like another reviewer, I gave the option of topping with TJ's chili oil peanuts and served with lettuce cups along with jasmine rice. Delish and the entire family ate. A Christmas miracle if ever there was one!

Nicole

I used crumbled Beyond burger in place of the pork and it came out perfectly. This will be a new staple for weeknights - meatless or not!

Barbara

This dish had crazy umami. I have an umami-meter when I read a recipe, and this one lit up all the lights, but the reality was off the charts. Wow! This larb is in my rotation now. Thank you so much.

Ruth

Sooo good! I'd definitely do more herbs next time. No mortar and pestle or spice grinder, but I did a quick deep clean of my coffee bean grinder and voila! Was totally worth it and those crispy bites were delicious.

Jennifer

This was delicious, easy and fast. I added slivered lime leaves (from the freezer) which I think adds a really nice flavor.

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Herby Pork Larb With Chile Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is LARB so good? ›

larb Isan is known for its robust spiciness. Minced meat is usually seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, chilli powder, grounded roasted rice, shallots, and spring onions. Some recipes also include coriander and mint leaves.

How do you eat LARB? ›

Larb should be served warm or at room temperature with a mixture of crunchy fresh vegetables (lettuce leaves, cucumber sticks, raw beans or cabbage) and steamed sticky rice.

How many calories are in pork larb? ›

Read More
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
528Calories
39gFat
20gCarbs
25gProtein

What does larb mean in English? ›

Meaning of larb in English

a meat salad often made with ground pork (= the meat from a pig) and common in southeast Asian cooking: I was served larb, a spicy minced pork salad, with mint and cilantro on radicchio lettuce leaves. In certain parts of Thailand the leaf is eaten with raw beef larb.

What is the flavor of larb? ›

Larb is typically intensely seasoned -spicy, tangy, salty, all the flavors, so to help “mellow” this out, I like to serve it with rice and cool crunchy veggies – cucumber, radish, jicama, lettuce, etc.

Is larb healthy? ›

Another healthy Thai salad option is the Larb. This salad is made with minced meat (usually chicken, pork, or beef), mixed with herbs, lime juice, and fish sauce, and served with lettuce leaves.

What is the difference between laab and larb? ›

"Larb" is the most popular way Thai restaurants write out the dish on menus because when Thai people speak Thai-accented English, we don't pronounce the R (we pronounce "car" as "ka," for example). Anyway, LAAB is a ground meat salad that hails from the northeast region of Thailand known as Isaan.

What country did larb originate from? ›

While typically perceived as Thai, larb actually originated in Laos — where it is largely considered the national dish! Over time, the dish migrated and became popular in Thailand. Today, the dish is regional to both Laos and Isan, the northeastern region of Thailand.

How to cook pork larb? ›

Heat oil in wok over high heat until just smoking. Add the pork and cook, stirring with a wok charn or metal spatula to break up any lumps, for 10 minutes or until pork changes colour and begins to brown. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chilli and cook, tossing, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Remove from heat.

What part of pork is high in calories? ›

Pork belly is high in calories, total fat, and saturated fat but lower in protein than other pork cuts. Therefore, it may not be the best cut of pork if you're watching your weight or looking to reduce your fat intake.

How many carbs are in Larb? ›

Larb gai (Thai chicken) salad (1 cup) contains 10.9g total carbs, 9.7g net carbs, 7.1g fat, 49g protein, and 314 calories.

Why does Thai food taste so good? ›

Thai cuisine is a harmonious blend of flavors, textures, and aromas that make it one of the most popular cuisines in the world. The complex flavors, fresh ingredients, balance of flavors, cooking techniques, and cultural influence are what make Thai food so unbelievably mouth-watering.

What does Thai larb taste like? ›

For us larb has always been one dish. That juicy minced spicy pork with an uplifting array of herbal aromatics and lime supported by a heavy dose of umami in the form of fish sauce. A big time favourite of ours that always seems to satisfy the mind and the belly.

Why does larb smell? ›

Why? Authentic larb gai is made with padaek which is a fermented fish made into a thick fish sauce. Fermented fish is what makes larb smell. If you can't get over the smell, this is one of the ingredients that can be omitted from the recipe without any substitutions.

Is it safe to eat a raw larb? ›

Health risks of consuming raw

The consumption of raw laab and lu made with raw pork has led to several cases of human Streptococcus suis infections in Thailand, some of them with a deadly result.

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