About this Dish
Laos's national dish — minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, lime, and herbs.
History & Origin
Larb (or laap) is widely considered the national dish of Laos, its toasted ground sticky rice ("khao khua") giving the salad a signature nutty crunch found nowhere else.
IngredientsServes 4
🐄Ground beef or pork, 500g (or finely minced by hand)
🍚Raw glutinous or long-grain rice, 3 tablespoons
🍋Fresh lime juice, 3–4 tablespoons (about 2 limes)
🐟Fish sauce, 2–3 tablespoons
🌿Fresh mint leaves, large handful roughly torn
🌱Fresh cilantro, large handful chopped
🧅Shallots, 4 thinly sliced
🌶️Dried chili flakes or fresh bird's eye chilies, 1–2 teaspoons to taste
🫚Lemongrass stalk, 1 finely minced (tender inner part only)
🥬Green onions, 3 stalks thinly sliced
Method
1
Toast the dry rice in a small pan over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5–7 minutes until it turns golden and smells nutty. Let it cool completely, then grind it to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or blender — this is your khao khua and it's essential for authentic texture.2
In a dry pan over medium heat, cook the ground meat with a tiny splash of water, breaking it up until just cooked through — avoid browning it. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly so the herbs don't wilt when you mix everything together.3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked meat with the lime juice and fish sauce while still warm. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy, salty, and a little spicy.4
Add the sliced shallots, green onions, lemongrass, and chili flakes to the bowl and toss well. Then fold in the fresh mint and cilantro gently so they stay bright and fresh.5
Sprinkle the toasted rice powder over the top and toss everything together — add 1–2 more tablespoons of rice powder if you like more texture. Taste one more time and adjust lime juice, fish sauce, or chili to your liking.6
Serve immediately at room temperature with sticky rice, fresh cabbage leaves, or sliced cucumber on the side. Larb is best eaten fresh the day it's made.User Reviews
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