In 2006 I was working at a day spa when I met a Cosmetologist named Lisah. Lisah is one of those people who can make friends with anyone because she is genuinely nice and has such a great sense of humor that it’s hard not to like her. For Lisah’s 21st birthday she invited us to a party at her house, and me, unsuspecting as I was, I brought a huge bag of tortilla chips…Thinking it was a “pot-luck” type of party…I was wrong, Ooopppss! We arrived to a huge spread of traditional Laos food, none of which I recognized because at that point the most exotic thing I had ever consumed came from Wonderful Chinese Food restaurant (yes, that’s really what it’s called) in a strip mall in my home town.
Lisah’s birthday spread included: Spicy Green Papaya Salad with Crispy Chicken Feet (Seriously, eat crispy chicken feet if you have the opportunity. I wouldn’t lead you astray…), Crispy Rice Salad (Nam, but also nom, nom, nom), and Grilled Oysters… Needless to say, I was a little weary of eating this food that I didn’t even recognize. Luckily, my manners (but mostly my faith in Lisah’s good judgment) encouraged me to try these new dishes and I don’t regret it for a second! It was at that point that I became indebted to Lisah forever (dun, dun, dun…), for inspiring me to try new foods, to live outside of my comfort zone, and experience new things. Since that night at Lisah’s party, I’ve tried many different kinds of food and am always looking for new inspiration for my cooking. I like to challenge myself and test my skills for personal growth. To be honest, I have very few dishes that I make regularly because I always want to try something new. So now, it’s my turn to inspire you. Try something new, and think of Lisah and me when you do. Thanks, Lisah!!! You’re the best!
Ground Turkey Larb (Laab or Laap):
Larb is a traditional Lao minced meat dish that can be made with any ground meat. I find that ground chicken or turkey lend themselves nicely to the flavors of the herbs and the dressing. Stronger flavored meats, like beef can over power the herbs. This recipe is delicious because appeals to all five taste sensations, as most Asian dishes do. The five taste sensations are: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Umami (or Savory). This Larb tastes even better the next day!
Please see the notes at the end of the post related to serving and preparing lemongrass.
Dressing:
Fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes, if your limes aren’t juicy, put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds and they’ll yield much more juice, or you can use your palm to forcefully roll whole limes back and forth on your counter top to soften them up.
5 sprigs of Cilantro, stemmed, chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce, I use Thai Kitchen (it’s GF!!)
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons honey
Larb:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots (cloves), thinly sliced, lengthwise
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled and minced
1 4 inch piece lemongrass the softer white portion of the stalk, minced *See Notes
3 Thai chilies, or 3 Serrano chilies, stemmed, thinly sliced
Sea Salt, to taste, remembering that fish sauce is salty
1 ½ pounds ground turkey, preferably dark meat
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
Optional:
Roasted Chopped Nuts to garnish
Green Beans
Sliced Cucumber
Cabbage
Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and honey. Set aside.
Larb: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots (Your friends will be really impressed if you discuss the subtle nuances in the flavors of onion vs. shallot…By “impressed”, I mean bored.), garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili, and salt to taste. (It’s important to season every layer when you’re cooking. When you add another ingredient to the pan, season to taste.) Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat and vegetables are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the dressing to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the Larb onto the prepared lettuce leaves and serve.
NOTES: When you order Larb (Laab or Laap) at a restaurant, they garnish it with roasted, chopped peanuts. I like to garnish our larb with roasted chopped almonds to add crunch. Larb (Laab or Laap) can be served with sticky rice and an assortment of vegetables, such as green beans, sliced cucumber, or cabbage.
Lemongrass is kind of an unusual ingredient, but it can be found in most grocery stores. It is a long, skinny stalk that’s usually light green in color and lighter near the root end (see picture). When you are ready to prepare your lemon grass, peel off the outer most layer of the stalk and discard. You’ll notice that the stalk is very stiff, so, you’ll want to pick a very sharp knife to mince it. To make the mincing easier, tenderize the portion of the stalk that you plan to use with the dull edge of your knife by hitting the lemongrass repeatedly and forcefully until the stalk is softer. Once it’s softened, use the sharp edge of your knife to mince your lemongrass.
If we’re being honest, my Larb recipe isn’t exactly traditional, but it hits all of the same flavor notes as the real thing and has ingredients that are pretty easy to come by. The recipe does not include the traditional toasted rice powder because it’s not easy to find and it’s a lot of work to make on a weeknight. But, if you’d like to use the traditional toasted rice powder and can’t find it at your local store, there’s a great (and simple enough) recipe at:
SheSimmers.com
Enjoy!!
