Larb Laab Larp

[NulloModo]

OK.

I tried Larb for the first time tonight. As it seemed the meat was of variable origin, I used about a pound of ground turkey that I had laying around which I had to get rid of.

I sauteed it with the garlic in peanut oil, and in a seperate bowl combined the zest of a lime, the juice of said lime, some sprigs of fresh mint, some dried thyme, some lemongrass I chopped up, about 10 or 15 fresh green thai chilis, a couple tablespoons of fish sauce (kikkoman I think, or some other generic grocery store brand of fish sauce), some green onions, and a bunch of fresh cilantro.

I added the meat when browned, tossed it together, and served it in lettuce boats.

I can only assume Larb was not supposed to be used with Turkey, or that my fish sauce wasn't very good, as overall it was cloyingly sweet, the lemongrass had an unpleasant mouthfeel, and the taste, while not unpleasant, was not harmonious as much as clashing.

[snowangel]

OK.

I tried Larb for the first time tonight. As it seemed the meat was of variable origin, I used about a pound of ground turkey that I had laying around which I had to get rid of.

I sauteed it with the garlic in peanut oil, and in a seperate bowl combined the zest of a lime, the juice of said lime, some sprigs of fresh mint, some dried thyme, some lemongrass I chopped up, about 10 or 15 fresh green thai chilis, a couple tablespoons of fish sauce (kikkoman I think, or some other generic grocery store brand of fish sauce), some green onions, and a bunch of fresh cilantro.

I added the meat when browned, tossed it together, and served it in lettuce boats.

I can only assume Larb was not supposed to be used with Turkey, or that my fish sauce wasn't very good, as overall it was cloyingly sweet, the lemongrass had an unpleasant mouthfeel, and the taste, while not unpleasant, was not harmonious as much as clashing.

I do believe that Kikkoman is soy sauce, not fish sauce, and they are quite different. I favor Tipro brand fish sauce (what I always saw when I was growing up in Thailand).

Check out the proportions of what you made and look at the recipe for Larb, Laab (Larb, Lahb, Larp...) or Larb Balls Two Ways.

As a larb veteran (since I was 8 or 9), I will say that pork is best, and it is best poached or raw. Others may argue.

[tommy]

unless you're going to chop the lemongrass in a food processor or grinder of some sort, i'd leave it out. it's tough.

and i wouldn't brown the meat. definitely more of a poach, like snowangel suggests.

where did the sweetness come from? i didn't see sugar in your list of ingredients.

to me, with larb, less is more. just a few ingredients quickly thrown together and that's it.

[Blondie]

NulloModo, you don't mention ground roasted rice. On the few occasions that I've forgotten it, the final product was disapppointing. Give it a try next time.

[NulloModo]

Well, it was definately fish sauce, not soy sauce, I just thought it might have been kikkoman brand, I will double check when I get back home.

I believe the sweetness came from the fish sauce, corn syrup was listed as one of the ingredients.

I will try it again without the lemongrass perhaps as I do not have a functional food processor at the moment.

I will also make my next batch with ground pork instead of turkey.

Do you think that using fresh vs. dried thai chiles would make a big difference? I can find plenty of ground mexican chiles around here, and the standard cayenne powders, and italian style crushed red pepper, but no thai chiles...

[snowangel]

Well, it was definately fish sauce, not soy sauce, I just thought it might have been kikkoman brand, I will double check when I get back home.

I believe the sweetness came from the fish sauce, corn syrup was listed as one of the ingredients.

I will try it again without the lemongrass perhaps as I do not have a functional food processor at the moment.

I will also make my next batch with ground pork instead of turkey.

Do you think that using fresh vs. dried thai chiles would make a big difference? I can find plenty of ground mexican chiles around here, and the standard cayenne powders, and italian style crushed red pepper, but no thai chiles...

Fish sauce should not contain corn syrup. It should contain anchovy extract, salt and water. NO SUGAR. I use Tiparos brand, but that's because that's what I was raised on when I grew up in Thailand.

I do like fresh peppers better, but that was not the downfall of your larb. The "fish sauce" was.

Yes, ground pork is better, but with the right ingredients, turkey would be just fine.

Larb ahead!

And, Heather, larb is not just for summer. It can be very warming in the winter.

[NulloModo]

Hmmm..... Anchovy paste is not even one of the ingredients listed ;).

It isn't specifically Thai Fish Sauce, just what I picked up in the 'ethnic' aisle at the grocery store.

There is however an asian grocery that recently opened up near my workplace, I will have to go check out and see if they have something better.

[Jason Perlow]

Has to be Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce to to come out right. I wouldn't trust the Japanese with fish sauce one bit.

[sladeums]

...

It isn't specifically Thai Fish Sauce, just what I picked up in the 'ethnic' aisle at the grocery store.

...

As mentioned your "fish sauce", as described, is extremely suspect.

Kind of like the "balsamic" vinegar you get at the average grocery store.

Looking at Kikkoman's US site I don't see any fish sauce - the closest I see is a Sushi & Sashimi sauce...which is a dipping as opposed to cooking sauce.

click for Kikkoman US website

Hit the local Asian grocer and try again...if the products or ownership are Thai oriented you are looking for 'Nam Pla'.

[NulloModo]

I was wrong about the brand, it is 'Ka-Me' and includes water, salt, high fructose corn syrup, and something called 'fish extract'.

I will drop by the asian grocer at my next opportunity to try to find the good one.

I have too few meals in the day to try out all this wonderful stuff e-gullet is inspiring me to cook... ;)

[Jason Perlow]

I was wrong about the brand, it is 'Ka-Me' and includes water, salt, high fructose corn syrup, and something called 'fish extract'.

Gross!

[snowangel]

Decided that I would also make larb (pork) at The Cabin. It seems like larb time again, but then again for me, almost any time is larb time. Trust and assume that my toasted rice and fish sauce wintered well in the far north -- they were frozen for a few months.

[snowangel]

The thread today on fish sauce reminded me larb. So, I made some. I used leftover rare chuck eye steak.

Larb is really, really wonderful.

Tommy, have you larbed lately?

[Richard Kilgore]

I was looking for fish sauce a few weeks ago at a Vietnamese/Phillipine market and found a variety of brands. I asked the advice of an Asian woman shopping, and she recommended a Phillipine brand, Purfina Patis. The ingredients are listed as: Fish Extract (Assorted blend of scads, herrings, sardines, mackerels), water and salt less than 1/10 pf 1% benzoate of soda added as preservative.

Anyone familiar with this.

[Jason Perlow]

I was looking for fish sauce a few weeks ago at a Vietnamese/Phillipine market and found a variety of brands. I asked the advice of an Asian woman shopping, and she recommended a Phillipine brand, Purfina Patis. The ingredients are listed as: Fish Extract (Assorted blend of scads, herrings, sardines, mackerels), water and salt less than 1/10 pf 1% benzoate of soda added as preservative.

Anyone familiar with this.

Don't do it!

You want a Thai, or at the very least, a Vietnamese fish sauce.

[Richard Kilgore]

I noticed since posting another thread upon which SobbaAddict recommnds Patis. But maybe not for Laab? Not clear.

[tommy]

Tommy, have you larbed lately?

i've been stuck on pizza and burgers for most of the summer now. i gotta rethink this whole approach to summer food, though, as larb hasn't crossed my mind. i think this thread needs a jump start so that it's all kindza in my face.

[Jason Perlow]

I noticed since posting another thread upon which SobbaAddict recommnds Patis. But maybe not for Laab? Not clear.

Its fine for Filipino food. But for larb, you want a Thai fish sauce. The flavor profile is totally different.

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks, Jason. I'll get the Thai fish sauce then.

[hjshorter]

Thanks for bumping this up. Beef larb tonight.

[mrbigjas]

Tommy, have you larbed lately?

i've been stuck on pizza and burgers for most of the summer now. i gotta rethink this whole approach to summer food, though, as larb hasn't crossed my mind. i think this thread needs a jump start so that it's all kindza in my face.

Hm, this bump mighta just determined my dinner tonight.

Maybe not, though, since I have some fat tomatoes to eat, and they don't really go.

[hillvalley]

I have a larb question.

Last night I must have been channeling snowangel because I had a strong craving for Larb. Of course I immeadiately made arrangements to give into my craving.

The Larb I had (made by a restaurant, not me) was sweet. Is this common for larb? The Larb I have had in the past was tangy and spicy, not sweet. This is what I was craving last night, not a sweet dish. Is Larb supposed to be sweet?

[mamster]

No, it's not supposed to be sweet, but it's not surprising to find it sweet in a Thai-American restaurant. For Thai salads in general, and larb in particular, I believe the sour taste should hit you first, followed by a good dose of chile heat and salt. The sugar acts as a blending undertone that keeps any of the other flavors from running away with the show, but if you taste sugar, it's got too much.

Though, come to think of it, "sweet larb!" makes a good exclamation.

[msphoebe]

Someone please point me in the direction of this Larb recipe...must I sift through 15 pages to find it?

Thai food is addicting! It's 8:30 pm and now my mouth is watering for Larb...

tks for any help

[Jason Perlow]

eG larb recipes