Thai Chicken Larb is the perfect dish when you feel like a light, but full-flavoured meal. Also known as Larb Gai, this is a vibrantly flavoured Thai salad made with chicken mince (ground chicken), lime juice, fish sauce, fresh herbs and chilli. It is fragrant and fresh tasting, with a perfect combination of hot, sour, salty and sweet flavours. It is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser which is quickly and easily made. So good!
1long red cayenne chilli - sliced thinly - optional
Serving Suggestions:
long red cayenne chilli - sliced thinly and sprinkled on top
cos lettuce leaves - for wrapping
lime wedges
cucumber wedges
fresh herbs: mint, coriander, Thai basil
Instructions
Place the rice in a medium-sized frying pan and dry fry over low heat, until fragrant and golden. This will take 6-10 minutes and will vary depending on the type of pan you are using.
Cool the rice before grinding it to a powder in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.
Place the water and chicken mince in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Stir the chicken until it is cooked, gently breaking it up.
Remove from the heat and turn the chicken and the liquid which remains, into a bowl.Add the fish sauce and lime juice and stir through. Allow the mixture to cool down slightly.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix them together. Check that the seasoning is well-balanced and to your taste.
Serve the salad in a bowl, sprinkled with additional fresh chilli and herbs.Serve alongside lettuce leaves for wrapping, cucumber and lime wedges.
Notes
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Toasted Rice Powder: this is frequently made from glutinous rice, but I have also used Jasmine rice in the past. You can buy commercial toasted rice powder, however, it is very easy to make your own and the flavour is superior.
Seasoning: ensure the dish is seasoned to your liking before serving - add more fish sauce, lime juice, chilli etc to your taste.
Make-ahead: you can partially prepare the dish a day ahead. For the best flavour and appearance, it is best to add the herbs, onion, chilli and rice powder shortly before serving.
Storage: store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You may want to add some fresh herbs before serving to brighten up the salad. However, if you have had the Larb Gari at room temperature for two hours, it should be discarded.