Larb Gai Recipes

THAI LETTUCE WRAPS (LARB GAI, LAAB GAI)

Steps:

• Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
• Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.
• Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
• Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.
• Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
• Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!
• Sauce option: Take it over the top by serving with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, as pictured in the first photo in post! It's extra amazing (though not traditional!)

THAI LARB GAI (CHICKEN WITH LIME, CHILI AND FRESH HERBS)

Steps:

• To make roasted rice powder, heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add raw rice and cook, stirring often, until rice is toasted and dark brown, but not black, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside to cool. Grind to a coarse powder in a mortar, blender or coffee grinder; set aside.
• To cook chicken, heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add 2 tablespoons water, then add chicken, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. Cook just until cooked through, about two minutes, then transfer to mixing bowl. While chicken is just warm, add remaining ingredients (except for garnishes) and roasted rice powder. Mix gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Mixture should be tangy, salty and lightly spicy.
• Spoon onto serving plate and surround with mint, lettuce and cucumber. Serve with rice. If serving with sticky rice, pinch some off, mold into a small ball and dip into larb, scooping up a little of each ingredient. Or scoop larb into lettuce leaves.

LARB GAI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook chicken over medium heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles; drain. In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and chiles; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the cooked chicken, lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha. Cook and stir until heated through. Stir in cilantro and mint. Serve with rice and, if desired, lettuce leaves.

LAAB GAI (TURKEY LAAB)

Steps:

• Stir the tamarind paste into the ground turkey in a large bowl and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Heat a medium pan to high heat and add the oil. When you see the first wisps of white smoke, saute the garlic and shallot until translucent, about 1 minute. Fold the turkey into the pan and stir-fry until the turkey is just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce to low heat then stir in the sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chile powder and mix well. Adjust your flavors as necessary to your taste.
• Fold in the mint, onion, roasted rice powder and scallions until well combined. Serve with carrot sticks, long beans, lettuce and cabbage. Garnish the laab with more scallions, red onion and rice powder.

LARB GAI NIKKI-STYLE

Steps:

• Whisk lemon juice, lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and lemon zest together in a bowl until dressing is smooth.
• Spread ground turkey in a thin layer in a arge skillet; add garlic. Pour enough water into the skillet to cover the turkey; bring to a boil. Cook and stir turkey mixture, breaking the meat apart with a fork, until turkey is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain liquid and transfer turkey to a large glass bowl.
• Mix red onion, carrot, chestnuts, Thai chile peppers, green onions, mint, basil, and cilantro into turkey until well combined. Refrigerate mixture until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle rice powder and Thai chile flakes over turkey mixture and mix well.