Fish Larb Recipes

THAI LARB RECIPE

Steps:

• Dice half the onion (you'll need 1 cup diced) and thinly slice 1/4 of the onion ( 1/4- 1/2 cup).
• Place the sliced onions in a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup hot boiling water and 2 tablespoons vinegar, place in the fridge.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced red onion, saute 3-4 minutes, add garlic, lemongrass and chili flakes. Saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground meat, breaking it apart with a metal spatula. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and continue cooking until all the liquid releases and evaporates about 10 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat, using a fine-mesh strainer.
• While the ground meat is cooking, prep the remaining ingredients. Place the cucumber, radish, scallions, mint, basil, cilantro, fresh chili (optional) in a bowl. Add the drained meat and the strained pickled onions. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Taste, adjust salt, lime and heat. I'll usually add more chili flakes. or finely diced fresh chilies.
• Serve with lettuce wraps and/or cooked rice. Serve warm or chilled. ( If chilling, make doubly sure to strain all the fat from the meat -it will harden in the fridge.)

FISH LARB

Steps:

• Pat fillets dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over high. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Working in batches, if necessary, cook the fillets skin-side down. (To prevent splattering, lay the portion of the fillet closest to you into the pan first, so that any oil will splatter in the direction away from you as you set down the rest of the fillet.) Press down on the fish with a spatula for 20 seconds, then lower heat to medium and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Carefully flip fillets and cook until cooked through, about 90 seconds. (Time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.) Add additional oil if needed for a second batch.
• Transfer the fish to a cutting board. Remove the skin if desired, then break the fish into bite-size chunks with a knife or fork. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the fish sauce and sugar. Set aside to cool slightly.
• While the fish cools, make the toasted rice powder, if using raw jasmine rice: Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Toast the rice, stirring frequently, until it starts to smell nutty and turns golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, cool slightly, then process into a powder.
• Add the red onion and red-pepper flakes to the fish and stir gently. Add the cilantro, mint, scallions and lime juice and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with the toasted rice powder and season to taste with more fish sauce and lime juice as needed.

LAOTIAN SHRIMP LARB

Steps:

• Toast rice in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan frequently, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
• In a bowl, combine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, fish sauce, and minced lemongrass, ginger, and shallot. Heat sugar in a covered small saucepan over medium-low until it melts, about 5 minutes. Remove lid; continue cooking, swirling pan, until sugar is deep amber. Remove from heat. Carefully add vinegar mixture (mixture will bubble and harden). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves again. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice and peppers. Let cool completely.
• Heat 1/4 inch oil in skillet over medium. When it shimmers, add lemongrass rounds and cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Fry ginger matchsticks and 1/2 cup shallot rounds, in separate batches, in same manner.
• Season shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add remaining 1/4 cup shallot rounds; cook until soft and golden in places, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with vinegar mixture and rice powder. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Stir in peanuts and sliced mint and basil. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves with cucumber. Top with whole herbs, fried aromatics, and more peanuts; serve.