How to make larb moo, a warm meat salad from Indochina with bright flavours and a hint of heat
- Larb has as many different recipes as spellings; this larb moo is made with minced pork and rice powder
- You can make your own toasted rice powder to give your larb moo some crunch
Larb, also spelled larp, laap, lahb or laab, can be made from all different types of protein. I’ve had it with fish, mushrooms, chicken, duck and, of course, pork.
In Luang Prabang, Laos, I had a version made from minced water buffalo meat with small cubes of water buffalo blood.
Larb originated in Laos, but has spread across the border to Thailand and other neighbouring countries.
Larb moo (pork larb)
A shop specialising in larb will (or should) vary the seasonings according to the type of protein used, so one made with strongly flavoured meats such as water buffalo or duck will be seasoned more assertively than one made with more subtle fish.
Larb is served warm or tepid, not hot. There are many variations and the dish changes according to where the cook is from. For this version, the minced pork is cooked without being browned, before it is cooled slightly. Then the seasonings are mixed in, with the most fragile leaves added last so they don’t wilt too much. It is a light, brightly flavoured dish with plenty of fresh herbs, tartness from the lime juice and a hint of spice from the chilli flakes.
Khao khua, or toasted rice powder (sometimes called roasted rice powder) is made from glutinous rice grains. It’s used to slightly thicken watery sauces and adds a subtle, toasted flavour and a gentle crunch. You can buy it – look in the Thai section of shops – but it is also easy to make.
