Larb Laab Larp

[lovebenton0]

Definitely a larb day today for me. I have some nice chuck roast to grind, a chilly damp day and the time to do the toasted rice powder. And with this chill some of my basil is saying eat me now!

[Chris Amirault]

Did a larb gai (chicken) for staff meeting last Monday night. Used the boston lettuce leaves as a cup, and a simple demonstration did the trick (tx snowangel!). Using fresh bird chilis also added a nice heat that snuck up on people. Too moist though: everyone was drippin' larb liquid....

[reesek]

i just read the entire thread...aka..the world according to larb.

we make a thai tuna salad that is related to the squid salad snowangel mentioned. but i'm a recovering non-flesh eater and am finding that standards that i used to love no longer satisfy me. so tonight i shall larb. i'm still a little leery of chicken - but pork and beef don't freak me out at all. i'm wondering what cut of pork i should get to larb? how long should i freeze it before pulsing in the processor? snowangel, does that recipe feed your whole family? i wonder if our thai chilis that we proudly grew and then forgot all about are still alive in the garden...better get extra just in case.

[snowangel]

i'm wondering what cut of pork i should get to larb? how long should i freeze it before pulsing in the processor? snowangel, does that recipe feed your whole family?

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I usually get country style ribs, but chops (bone removed) or boneless chops would work, as well. Never forget using leftover roasted or grilled beef/pork/chicken. Although not strictly a larb, it works very well, and is a nice way to use up a bit of cooked meat that would otherwise mold in the fridge.

This recipe works well for Paul, Diana and I. Peter and Heidi are not larb afficiandos. Heidi has some mouth sensory issues that preclude hot and spicy (Heidi is disabled). Peter is an 8-year boy (enough said). But, I usually serve it with something else, for variety. Plus, if I serve something else, I have leftovers for lunch the next day.

BTW, I think I love the squid one most of all. The only difference is that I do it in advance, so that the dressing can cook the squid.

On grocery list. Squid.

[msphoebe]

curious.

I have put chicken in the Cuisinart (food processor) to make larb, and found you hafta be really careful or you get paste.

Would a meat grinder (the old fashioned kind that clamps on the counter top or table) be a better tool? I do have a KitchenAid mixer, so I guess the grinding attachment is a possibility...just wanting to get the best texture. And yes, I do buy pre-ground pork, and it works great!

[snowangel]

curious. 

I have put chicken in the Cuisinart (food processor) to make larb, and found you hafta be really careful or you get paste.

Would a meat grinder (the old fashioned kind that clamps on the counter top or table) be a better tool?  I do have a KitchenAid mixer, so I guess the grinding attachment is a possibility...just wanting to get the best texture.  And yes, I do buy pre-ground pork, and it works great!

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Works better if the chicken is frozen and taken out of the freezer about 1/2 hour before processing.

Or, just use the chef's knife or cleaver.

[reesek]

losing my larbinity was just like he said...no wait - it really was fun.

my mise en place. the roasted rice powder is in the mortar and pestle. i used fresh galangal instead of dried - snowangel - do you use dried for a reason other than ingredient availability? i love it fresh but wonder if it adds a tarter note dried. i'll add a pinch of sugar and a bit more lime next time.

here's my pork. i went to a little vietnamese grocery and the pork cuts they had were either all on the bone or offal - so i went with ground. the specks are the ground thai bird chilis. it must be a completely different dish with a more coarsely ground pork/chicken. i think i'll prefer that texture.

final larb! my boyfriend loved it. i will love it...just want to tweak a bit. it is a lot like the thai tuna salad we make - i think next time i will serve with wedges of green cabbage in addition to lettuce - the smooth sweetness of cabbage will accentuate the fruitiness of the peppers.

many thanks to tommy (for starting the thread) and snowangel for a wonderful recipe!

[little ms foodie]

ok, have spent the last two days reading about larb. I have questions!!! Forgive me for my absolute ignorance about Larb!

Question #1- Is is called Larb, Laab or Larp?

Question #2- what is Powdered galangel and where should I look for this in my grocery?

Question #3- I'm scared to ask this but have mustered my courage so here goes....Do you eat this like you eat the (gasp!) PFChang chicken lettuce wraps? Is that the idea?

Sorry about bringing up PFC in the last question!!!

[Chris Amirault]

Would a meat grinder (the old fashioned kind that clamps on the counter top or table) be a better tool?  I do have a KitchenAid mixer, so I guess the grinding attachment is a possibility...just wanting to get the best texture.  And yes, I do buy pre-ground pork, and it works great!

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I use the meat grinder attachment to my KA to prepare the meat for my larbs, and it works fine -- even without the freezing. And the two-knife method of mincing meat works well, too, if you have a big board and don't mind flinging little bits of raw meat around the floor. We have a dog, you see....

[Chris Amirault]

Question #1- Is is called Larb, Laab or Larp? 

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Since it's a transliteration of a Thai (and other languages) term, they're all approximations.

Question #2- what is Powdered galangel and where should I look for this in my grocery?

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Also spelled "galangal" (see above), it's a kind of ginger root that is ground. It's probably only available in the "international" section, although any asian food store would have it. Alternately, you can get it at the excellent mail order store Penzey's Spices.

Question #3- I'm scared to ask this but have mustered my courage so here goes....Do you eat this like you eat the (gasp!) PFChang chicken lettuce wraps? Is that the idea?

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I've never been to PF Chang's, so I couldn't tell you for sure, but, yes, probably!

[reesek]

ok, have spent the last two days reading about larb. I have questions!!! Forgive me for my absolute ignorance about Larb!

Question #1- Is is called Larb, Laab or Larp? 

Question #2- what is Powdered galangel and where should I look for this in my grocery?

Question #3- I'm scared to ask this but have mustered my courage so here goes....Do you eat this like you eat the (gasp!) PFChang chicken lettuce wraps? Is that the idea?

Sorry about bringing up PFC in the last question!!! 

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LMF - i think because the thai language doesn't translate perfectly to english - the exact spelling is up to the preparer of said 4 letter word starting with L.

in seattle - you can get both powdered and fresh galangal at uwajimaya or viet wah - galangal looks like ginger in shape - but it's thicker. it's also lighter in color, denser and has a totally different flavor - bright, almost lemonish but with gingery notes. you'll know it when you see it.

i've never been to PFC - but if the lettuce cup chicken is ground and salty/tangy/spicy - my guess is that it's a variation on the theme. though i've never been to PFC, i've seen your work and am certain you can do better.

[lovebenton0]

curious. 

I have put chicken in the Cuisinart (food processor) to make larb, and found you hafta be really careful or you get paste.

Would a meat grinder (the old fashioned kind that clamps on the counter top or table) be a better tool?  I do have a KitchenAid mixer, so I guess the grinding attachment is a possibility...just wanting to get the best texture.  And yes, I do buy pre-ground pork, and it works great!

←

Works better if the chicken is frozen and taken out of the freezer about 1/2 hour before processing.

Or, just use the chef's knife or cleaver.

←

Another note: I cut any meat I grind in FP into largish chunks, only use pulse mode, one to two seconds at a time. Have no trouble grinding any meat that way. Very nice for pork and beef, much better than pre-ground IMHO.

Larb on!

[msphoebe]

Thanks for the replies re: grinding the meat.

I will continue to use the food processor...but will grind smaller quantities at a time!

[jhlurie]

I have become very fond of a Laab-like dish called Yum Neua at the Dallas restaurant Thai-riffic (silly name, very good Thai). Yum Neua ingredients include grilled medium rare beef, onions, lemongrass, lime and chili paste. My impression is that the preparation is not much different than Laab. Anyone else familiar with this dish and its preparation?

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I've often seen the spelling Yum Neur, but I know exactly what you mean. It's one of my very favorite dishes in ANY cuisine anywhere.

I think there might have been an attempt at an eG thread on this in the distant past (which I totally can't find, so feel free to start a new topic if you want), but it doesn't have the enthusiastic following that Larb does.

[snowangel]

I have become very fond of a Laab-like dish called Yum Neua at the Dallas restaurant Thai-riffic (silly name, very good Thai). Yum Neua ingredients include grilled medium rare beef, onions, lemongrass, lime and chili paste. My impression is that the preparation is not much different than Laab. Anyone else familiar with this dish and its preparation?

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I've often seen the spelling Yum Neur, but I know exactly what you mean. It's one of my very favorite dishes in ANY cuisine anywhere.

I think there might have been an attempt at an eG thread on this in the distant past (which I totally can't find, so feel free to start a new topic if you want), but it doesn't have the enthusiastic following that Larb does.

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Strikes me that the major difference between a larb and a yum is that in the former, the meat is generally ground, and the preparation includes the toasted rice powder, but other than that, they are more similar than different. There have been many mentioned in this thread of "larbing" l;eftover steak (or other meat sliced), squid, tuna, salmon, eggs (not successful), tofu (again, not successful IMHO), which, in the mind of a notorious stickler would probably be wrong. These items, I believe, would have been yummed.

And, I committed larbony again today.

[snowangel]

I must correct myself. I did not make larb today.

Permit me to share a moment of extreme maternal pride. Diana, age 14, made her first larb today, without a recipe. Just some basic verbal guidelines, shouted to her as I was busy in the yard.

It is (was) a spectacular larb. It was very warm here today, and I came in all hot and sweaty, to be greated by a superlative larb and a cold beer.

I'm so pleased one of my children knows how to make larb!

[handmc]

Larbing tomorrow.

I Have everything but I always just used the fresh bird chilis. The problem is I cannot find the receipe and don't remember the number of chilis to use. I would like it about a 6 out of 1o for heat becuase I am serving Son in law eggs and Pad Thai along with it so I want to wake their palet up a bit. Any ideas?

I Larb therefore I am.

[snowangel]

Larbing tomorrow.

I Have everything but I always just used the fresh bird chilis. The problem is I cannot find the receipe and don't remember the number of chilis to use. I would like it about a 6 out of 1o for heat becuase I am serving Son in law eggs and Pad Thai along with it so I want to wake their palet up a bit. Any ideas?

I Larb therefore I am.

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Do you usually mince, large dice or finely dice the birds? I prefer a subtle heat throughout the larb, which is why I use the dried chilies that are powdered, adding thin clides of birds of a blast of heat. In addition to the dried powdered chilies (as opposed to what we think of as chili powder), I ususally use 4-6 birds. I'd use that many, perhaps 3-4 more, if I just went with birds for heat. IMHO, of course.

[handmc]

Thanks Snowangel.

I was making Larb for 24, an older women's church group. I used about 20 brid chilis total, minced fine, which gave it the flavor and mild heat I was looking for. The batch I kept for myself I added 6 more of a nice and tasty blast. I used your receipe by the way, except as modified above, and it is very tasty thank you.

[lovebenton0]

"Larbony" yes, Susan! I committed the same.

I suppose this is "yummed" larb, as I used some of the beef cooked rare on the grill from last night. When I do use rare meat (chopped) as opposed to raw (ground) I don't poach it to cook again, but rather warm the dressing in little wok, remove from heat then add the meat just so it warms it a bit.

I confess! No more holy basil, so used this basil from my garden as I still plenty of that. Was quite good.

Also toasted and ground rice today, as I did not do it last week as I had planned.

[Chris Amirault]

I just hadda larb today, what with a couple of Bell and Evans chicken breasts all thawed in the fridge. Had most of the ingredients here save lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves for the toasted rice powder, so I went out shopping at the SE Asian places around here.

Lo and behold, the kaffir lime leaves were a mess. One place was out, one place had shriveled up not-utterly-green specimens, and the leaves at the final store, which I bought, were much smaller than usual. I almost had to pull a few tender leaves off my new kaffir lime tree!

One shop owner told me that the supply was bad because of the storms in Florida earlier this year. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

Oh, and dinner was larbilicious! Because it was short notice, we didn't make thai sticky rice but had jasmine instead. I really am finding the sticky rice balls to be a key component of the meal, though.

Do people serve rice with their larb? What kind(s)?

[snowangel]

I have not noticed a dearth of lime leaves here (Minnesota). While I always take them off of my tree (a few years old), my asian market has had huge packets of large, lush leaves for $.50 each.

I usually forget, in my ardor for larb, to make sticky rice. Or jasmine, for that matter. I have come to really like the cool crunch of lettuce (buttercrunch is my current fav) as a contrast to warm larb. Sticky rice would be more keeping with northern Thai tradition. I like my larb sort of wet, so that when you scoop it into the lettuce, juice runs down my arm.

But, I'm sort of bah, humbug on using chix breasts. Coarsely ground pork would be my fav, second choice would be thighs, again, coursely ground.

[lovebenton0]

I just hadda larb today, what with a couple of Bell and Evans chicken breasts all thawed in the fridge. Had most of the ingredients here save lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves for the toasted rice powder, so I went out shopping at the SE Asian places around here.

Lo and behold, the kaffir lime leaves were a mess. One place was out, one place had shriveled up not-utterly-green specimens, and the leaves at the final store, which I bought, were much smaller than usual. I almost had to pull a few tender leaves off my new kaffir lime tree!

One shop owner told me that the supply was bad because of the storms in Florida earlier this year. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

Oh, and dinner was larbilicious! Because it was short notice, we didn't make thai sticky rice but had jasmine instead. I really am finding the sticky rice balls to be a key component of the meal, though.

Do people serve rice with their larb? What kind(s)?

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I like rice with my larb, we both do. (And lots of lettuce -- I like the salad.) But then my mr will rice cold from the pot or out of fridge even at anytime. So I have a rice addict in the house. Sticky rice is nice. Haven't had jasmine rice in house lately, thanks for the grocery list reminder. Sorry if this is larb heresy, but even good ol' medium or long grain rice cooked "sticky" will do for us.

[Chris Amirault]

Sorry to make it sound like we always have sticky rice when we're a-larbing -- we don't. I love it, though. I just started making it recently, and, given the need to soak it for a few hours beforehand, I don't often get dinner going until it's too late. But I really feel that making the little rice balls is a wonderful thing, and my daughter, who likes getting her hands into food when she helps me cook, is a rice fan.

edited for a typo -- ca

Edited December 5, 2004 by chrisamirault (log)

[maremosso]

I have often had larb in Thai restaurants, and after reading this thread I took the plunge and made some for myself the other day.

It may not be strictly the traditional larb, but it was delicious all the same. It goes down a treat in our hot and tropical climate.

Didn't have galangal, so I used fresh ginger.

Didn't have kaffir lime leaves, so I used some local (tender) lime leaves from the garden.

Didn't have Thai basil, so I used my italian basil.

Bird chilies, no problem - got loads growing.

Ah yes, instead of chicken/pork/beef, I used flaked smoked mackerel, which I had just smoked in my smoker.

Great result!