Larb Laab Larp

[snowangel]

Don't know anything about Dynasty. Along as it's Thai and not Vietnamese, you should be just fine.

And, with the toasted rice powder -- I like mine with some pieces that aren't too fine -- just don't pulverize it to flour stage and you should be fine.

[tommy]

if it's the dynasty that makes mustard and all of those "asian" foods that you find in the supermarket, then we can't guarantee results.

seriously, i'd go easy on it.

[SEAsianOutpost]

Umm ... Dynasty, eh? Er... Uh...

General rule-of-thumb: Thai ingredients sold in non-Asian stores are grossly overpriced, markedly inferior, and often both. Case in point: Taste of Thai "Light Coconut Milk", which is nothing but regular coconut milk cut with water, typically retails for nearly $2 a can. Real, regular coconut milk cost $.69 in big city Asian groceries and $.99 here in the sticks. Of course, you have to supply the water.

Beware that some fish sauces contain sugar (even some of the good ones, actually), so there's just no substitute for adjusting the dressing proportions to taste.

- Roger

[Chad]

Beware that some fish sauces contain sugar (even some of the good ones, actually), so there's just no substitute for adjusting the dressing proportions to taste.

- Roger

Hmmm. The ingredients list on my "Dynasty" brand fish sauce:

"Anchovy extract, salt and sugar. Product of Thailand."

As I said, I was in a hurry, so I bought what was available. Looks like a trip downtown to the big Asian market. Or do y'all think this might be passable?

Chad

[SEAsianOutpost]

Oh, go ahead. As long as it is clear and brown you're good. I mean, how bad can something made from the liquid that runs off from a huge vat of anchovies rotting for months in the tropical heat be?

Seriously, just adjust the fish sauce/lime juice/sugar amounts to taste and you'll be fine. For kids definitely go lighter on the fish sauce -- it's, shall we say, an acquired taste.

Speaking of acquired SEAsian tastes, in the last couple of years I've started using shrimp paste (a.k.a. ka pi, blachan, trasi) more liberarly in my cooking and it really kicks up the authenticity. It smells so nasty raw that it is easy to be afraid of it, but once fried it adds a great depth of flavor to all kinds of things. It is the key to my industrial-Kuala-Lampur-street-vendor Malaysian fried rice.

- Roger

[curlywurlyfi]

Tommy, thank you thank you thank you for this thread! I have had larb for dinner three nights running now (most successful incarnation was last night's with the mint quota upped, the lemongrass left whole but bashed and fished out before eating, and served with (in a very non-traditional way, I'm calling it Thai-Brit Fusion) steamed green beans and extra dried red chilli flakes and sesame oil for sprinkling. Have got the girls coming over for improbable cocktails on Sunday night and guess what they'll be eating??

Fi (aka Larb Queen of Notting Hill)

[FoodZealot]

After reading this thread, I went out looking for larb laab larp in a couple of restaurants, and did not find a satisfactory version. I read many recipes, including those in RecipeGullet, made some slight adjustments and came up with this last Wednesday:

Naturally, it's pork. [grin] I enjoyed it, but more importantly, my friends and one in particular who has spent a lot of time in Thailand and whose wife is Thai, also enjoyed it. I'll definitely be making this again. Thanks, all.

~Tad

[tommy]

that is absolutely gorgeous. if i'm not mistaken, i can see ground rice. mmmmm.

[FoodZealot]

yes, a goodly amount of toasted mochiko - Japanese glutinous rice flour. Next time I'll try the Thai sticky rice so I can get a little texture.

[FoodZealot]

In doing some research for the LA Thai Tasting Tour, I had this Pork Larb at Ruen Pair Thai, in Hollywood. Delicious.

edit to change the URL of the photo

Edited December 9, 2003 by FoodZealot (log)

[kathe]

Hi Chad

A little late but try thinly sliced lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves next time. They add another layer of flavor and perfume to the larb.

[bigwino]

Taking my first Larb plunge tonight. Can fresh galangal be easily exchanged for the powdered form? I'm thinking I can mash it up in a mortar and pestle.

Any thoughts?

[tommy]

does your recipe call for powdered galangal? i've not heard of that, although i've been known to add ginger to mine. i might suggest leaving it out if you're unsure.

[bigwino]

The reviews are in and larb is good! I definitely want to change some things around and do some different riffs on the recipe, but YUM!

Next time I'll use more fish sauce than lime juice and add more heat. My wife also thought the addition of ground peanuts would be welcome. I think that's on the way to a different dish (what's it called?), but I like the idea.

More larbing to come.

[mamster]

I don't like galangal in my larb, personally, but I do like loads of lime juice. If it came down to it, I'd probably accept a lime juice IV.

Larb is excellent cold-weather food. Just serve it alongside a curry and some vegetables (pad pak), as I did when I had my teaching staff over last month, and you will draw plaudits up the wazoo.

[mamster]

Extramsg, usually when you order larb in Thailand (well, in Bangkok, at least), you get a vegetable plate involving yard-long beans, water spinach (kangkung, or water convolvulus, or whatever), and cabbage. Often there will be some ice melting on top of the vegetables to keep them a cool contrast. You can combine this with the larb any way you like.

But the most traditional utensil for eating larb is khao niaw, sticky rice. Make a little pad of it and scoop.

[Blondie]

A larb eating question: whether by coincidence or not, the best larbs I've had seem to come with a wedge of cabbage (as seen in FoodZealot's pic).  But cabbage hasn't been mentioned here near as much as romaine.  I assume romaine is certainly not authentic, but it sounds like even cabbage truly isn't -- that rice alone is the traditional accompaniment.  My favorite way of eating larb is to strip off the layers of the cabbage wedge and wrap the larb in it, like you would do with naan at an Indian restaurant, and pop it into my mouth.  Are most people fork people when it comes to larb?  I do find that as I get older I'm finding any excuse to eat with my hands or eat my soup by lifting the bowl to my mouth.

I use endive as a larb delivery implement.

Normally I like anything Monty Python-related, but that larb song is pure genius

[AndrewM]

Made the alternative "Shan State style" larb from Hot Sour Salty Sweet tonight, the laab moo tai yai. This is the HSSS larb made with roasted garlic, lemongrass, chiles, roasted sesame seeds, galangal (didn't have any, substituted some ginger), coriander, mint, shallots, and stir-fried ground pork instead of poached. Achieved total larbosity. The 12-year-old had three helpings (I'd doubled the recipe). Pride ensued...

[Huevos del Toro]

Has anyone compared toasted sweet rice with toasted jasmine rice? I have both but I'm unsure which to toast to add to the larb. Does it matter? Will the jasmine rice add aroma while still providing the texture?

Curious.

[Msk]

Is there an acceptable vegetarian substitute for fish sauce? Soy sauce?

Where the heck can I find dried thai chilis, none of my markets near me carry them. Can I use crushed red pepper?

Thanks, I have all the makings for Larb just wanna ask a few last details.

Msk

[tommy]

msk, i'd just use crushed red pepper for heat if you want it. in fact, i don't use any dried chilis in larb. i'll only use fresh thai chilis, or the pickled variety, which are readily available via mail order on the internet.

nothing can replace fish sauce. well, nothing vegetarian i'd say.

question: what are you making the larb from if it's not going to contain meat?

[Priscilla]

I had a nice larb made with chicken in a little Thai place the other day ... Friday, perhaps. It was good, a little weak on the sweet leg of the salty-sour-spicy-you heard four-part harmony, but not bad. Good amount of ground toasted rice, which is something sometimes stinted. However too there were long floppy uncut cilantro springs, OK for garni but oughta have been more cut to look right, and taste right, in the salad. But, good overall.

[Msk]

I keep a kosher home (for my wife) and technically fish and meat cant be had in the same dish.

My wife really doesn't care about this particular rule and I have fish sauce to make it with. However, Jennyuptown asked in another thread and I thought I'd ask it too here as I am just curious.

My first Larb will be chicken larb.

Msk

[tommy]

msk, the fish sauce is mixed with an equal part of lime juice for the "dressing". some sugar sometimes as well.

i'd say that if you wanted to leave it out, you'd need some salt or soy, and maybe stock or water to cut down on the acidity.

additionally, if you are feeding people with different restrictions, you can certainly make one batch of dressing with fish sauce, and one without, and have people dress their dishes appropriately.

[Msk]

Thanks for the insight Tommy.

Msk