Definitely not a authentic recipe, this is the bare bones of what make larb delicious to me. This is the kind of meal that can come together in 20 minutes or less, and keeps wonderfully for leftover lunches. The key is that the flavoring elements get added in like you're making a salad and don't get heated aside from the warmth of the meat, keeping them as bright and refreshing as possible.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb ground meat pork, turkey, chicken
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped and/or fresh mint
- 1 lime
- 1-2 tsp fish sauce
- optional 1 thinly sliced chili
- to serve: rice noodles, rice or lettuce leaves
Fry the meat in a pan using 1 tsp of neutral oil until cooked through, breaking it into small pieces as you go, if it gets browned great, but no big deal, you just want it cooked. Place the cooked meat in a large mixing bowl, I use ceramic as I'm adding acid with the lime I prefer not to use plastic or metal.
Wash the green onions peel off the outer layer, cut off the very top and bottom, and thinly slice. Wash the cilantro and finely chop the whole herb including the stem. Mix the green onion and cilantro into the meat and squeeze 1/2 the lime and add 1 tsp fish sauce. Mix thoroughly and taste. If you want it a little more tart squeeze in some more lime, if it's not salty enough add a little more fish sauce, and feel free to add in extra herbs at this time as well. If you like some spice slice up a chili and add 1/4 at a time until you get your desired spice level.
To serve place on cooked rice, or a bed of rice noodles, or wrapped in fresh butter lettuce leaves. You can add a side of sautéed vegetables, in the above purple cabbage and komatsuna greens as I had them in the fridge. It also goes well with fresh cucumbers.
A note on fish sauce: Red Boat is the real deal and the only one I use.