Thailand · Salads · Spicy

Larb

Name: Larb
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 250 g chicken fillet or lean pork; 1 piece shallot or red onion; 1-2 pieces fresh chilies; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1-2 tbsp toasted rice powder; 1 bunch fresh mint; 1 bunch cilantro; lettuce leaves for serving; 0.5 tsp sugar

Thai minced meat salad dressed with lime juice, fish sauce and toasted rice powder. Explosively fresh, herby and spicy — one of the most vibrant dishes in Southeast Asian cuisine.

35 min 220 kcal 2 serves Medium🌶️Spicy🇹🇭Thailand★★★★☆4.4· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

250 gchicken fillet or lean pork
1 pieceshallot or red onion
1 piecesfresh chilies
2 tbsplime juice
1 tbspfish sauce
1 tbsptoasted rice powder
1 bunchfresh mint
1 bunchcilantro
lettuce leaves for serving
½ tspsugar

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Larb is the national dish of Laos and one of Thailand's most beloved salads — a vibrant, punchy minced meat salad where every bite delivers heat, acid, herbs, and crunch simultaneously. The secret ingredient that most Western recipes skip is toasted rice powder (khao khua): you dry-toast raw sticky rice in a pan until golden brown, then grind it to a coarse powder. This adds a nutty, almost popcorn-like crunch that is absolutely essential to authentic larb. I cook the meat in just a splash of lime juice and fish sauce — no oil at all — which keeps it light and lets the fresh herbs shine.”

Toast the rice in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking constantly for about 5 minutes until deep golden — grind it while still warm for the most aromatic, crunchiest khao khua.

Method

In a dry pan (no oil), cook the meat with a couple tablespoons of water to keep it moist, stirring constantly until liquid evaporates and meat is cooked but still juicy. Don't overcook!
In a bowl, combine meat, sliced onion, chili, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and toasted rice powder. Mix well.
At the very end, add fresh mint and cilantro. Mix gently.
Serve on lettuce leaves or in a bowl garnished with lime wedges and fresh herbs.
Tip: Never replace rice powder with breadcrumbs! To make Khao Khua: toast 1 tbsp raw jasmine rice in a dry pan until dark golden, cool, and grind in a mortar to coarse crumbs.

FAQ

Toasted rice powder (khao khua) is made by dry-roasting raw jasmine rice until golden, then grinding it. It adds a nutty aroma and slightly thickens the dressing, giving larb its signature texture. You can make it at home in 5 minutes in a dry pan. Do not skip it — without it the salad loses its authentic character. Crushed toasted peanuts are a rough substitute but the flavor profile differs.

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Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
Toast the rice grains in a dry skillet until golden brown before grinding for this larb — this is the flavor secret that most Western recipes skip. The toasted rice powder adds a nutty, smoky crunch that binds the whole salad together. Without it, larb tastes incomplete.