Thai larb recipe (larb moo ลาบหมู)

Larb (ลาบ) is sort of like the meat sibling of som tam; They are made from different ingredients, but go incredibly well together.
It’s a staple dish of Thai Isaan food, it’s easy to make, and it’s a brilliant combination of ingredients. A spoon of larb (ลาบ) followed by a ball of fresh sticky rice, is one of the great flavor combinations.
In this blog post, you’ll find an authentic version of larb, like you find in Thailand.
- Thai larb recipe
- Laab moo (ลาบหมู)
Larb (ลาบ) is a Thai salad, but it’s not a vegetable salad, instead it’s a meat salad. The minced pork is wonderfully seasoned with fish sauce, chili flakes, lime juice, toasted sticky rice to give it some crunchy texture, and a wonderful assortment of fresh herbs to bring it all together.
If you’ve eaten larb (ลาบ), I’m sure you love it, but if you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a real treat!

Toasting the sticky rice
One of the most essential ingredients in any Thai larb recipe is something known as khao kua (ข้าวคั่ว), or toasted sticky rice.
It’s a really important part of Thai larb as it gives the pork a crunchy bite and a roasted fragrance.
The good news is, you should be able to purchase Thai sticky rice at most Asian supermarkets, and then it’s pretty easy to toast the rice and make it yourself.

You want it to be golden brown
You basically just throw the white sticky rice into a medium-low heated pan or wok, and toast it, dry without any oil. Continually mix it so it doesn’t burn.
The rice will start to turn yellow and then turn kind of golden brown. It will also start smelling really good, almost like popcorn.
It took me about 15 minutes or so to get that nice brown color on the sticky rice.

That’s the powder you’re looking for
From there, you either need to put the sticky rice in a food processor and grind it into a coarse powder, or bust out your mortar and pestle (this is the way I did it) and pound it.
Then you set the khao kua aside until you mix the larb salad together.

Minced pork for larb
Now when it comes to Thai street food Thai larb is most frequently made with minced pork (larb moo ลาบหมู).
So I decided to make the this Thai larb recipe with minced pork as well, but it’s also very commonly found with minced chicken or minced duck (and minced beef would be tasty too).
You can even make it with fish, or tofu, or mushrooms – all great choices. Anyway, the basic seasoning of Thai larb works well with just about any protein you want to substitute.

Chili flakes
Thai larb rarely uses fresh chilies, and instead uses dry ground chili flakes, known as prik bon, to give it some color and heat.

Thai shallots
Thai shallots are small about the size of a big grape, but they pack quite a punch – they are very flavorful.
I’ve seen some shallots in other places that look like the size of small lemons, but I don’t think they are quite as pungent as the Thai ones. Anyway, just use your judgement, you could even substitute a strong red onion for the shallots.
- Mix the larb right in a pot!
- Make sure you taste test
As a final tip, the easiest way to make larb, and the way they commonly prepare it on the streets of Thailand, is by cooking the pork in a small saucepan or pot, taking it off the heat, and then mixing in all the other ingredients right into the pot.
(If you can’t see the video, watch it here: http://youtu.be/elcphgkyYLY)
Thai larb recipe (larb moo ลาบหมู)
Time: About 30 minutes or less
Recipe size: This recipe makes one good sized plate / bowl full of larb. So depending on how many dishes you have for a meal, it could be big enough for 1 – 2 people, or shared between 3 – 4 people (if you have a full spread of Thai dishes).
Utensils: Small saucepan
Flavors: Fresh meat based salad, great herb flavors, mix of chili and salty
Eat it with: Larb is a Thai Isaan dish, normally eaten along with a side of Thai green papaya salad (som tam) and a plate of steamed Thai sticky rice.
Like I mention in all my Thai recipes, Thai food is very much a taste-test based cuisine. So please use the ingredients listed in this larb recipe as a guide, but not as exact instruction. You need to taste test to make sure your larb is balanced the way you like it – with the fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, etc.

- About 5 tablespoons of uncooked Thai sticky rice (but for the actual dish I used about 1 heaping tablespoon after we made it into powder - see directions)
- 300 grams (1 pound) minced pork (minced chicken or minced beef will also work well)
- ½ - 1 tablespoon of chili flakes (prik bon)
- ⅛ tablespoon of sugar (just a pinch)
- ½ tablespoon of fish sauce (here's the fish sauce I use)
- 1 - 2 limes (I used the juice from about 1.5 limes)
- 3 - 4 small shallots (Thai shallots are only about the size of grapes, so if you have bigger shallots just use however much you want)
- A few leaves of Culantro - this is an herb also known as long coriander, it tastes a little like cilantro (if you can't find any cilantro, don't worry about it, it's not a must)
- 3 - 5 spring onions (green onions)
- About 20 leaves or so of fresh mint
- First step is to make the toasted rice (khao kua ข้าวคั่ว).
- Heat a frying pan on low heat, toss in the uncooked Thai sticky rice (no oil). Stir continuously, kind of like you’re roasting peanuts or coffee. Toast the rice until it turns from white to golden yellow, almost to the point where it looks like brown wheat. It will also be very fragrant and smell almost like popcorn. It took me about 15 minutes or so.
- Once the rice is finished toasting, and has cooled off a bit, put it into your stone mortar and pestle. Pound the rice until it turns into a coarse powder (a blender or food processor will also work fine). Put your toasted sticky rice powder in a bowl aside.
- Add 300 grams of minced pork to a small sized saucepan with a handle. Fry the pork, breaking it into small minced pieces, until it’s fully cooked all the way through. For best flavor, leave all the oils that come out (but if you want to be healthier, you can also drain the pork oil, and add in a splash of water instead). Take the pork off the heat.
- Leaving the pork in the same pot, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the toasted rice powder into the pork. Also toss in ½ - 1 tablespoon of chili flakes.
- Add a pinch of sugar, ½ tablespoon of fish sauce, and squeeze in the juice from 1 - 2 limes (I used about 1 ½ full limes, but I like it quite sour).
- Give the pork and the seasoning a quick stir.
- Peel and slice the shallots, finely mince about 5 green onions and a few culantro leaves (if you have them), and just pluck about 20 or so mint leaves off the stem. Throw everything into the saucepan with the pork.
- Give the larb moo a good mix, making sure all the spices and dressing coats the pork.
- Taste test. See if it needs more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice, or chili flakes. Get it the way you want it.
- Dish it out onto a plate and garnish with more mint leaves, Thai sweet basil, and culantro.
Get the full Thai larb recipe here, and also be sure to check out all of my authentic Thai recipes.
Enjoy!

Thai larb recipe (larb moo ลาบหมู)
As long as you get all the ingredients together, this Thai larb recipe (larb moo ลาบหมู) is quite simple to make, and it tastes absolutely amazing.
Maya
2 years ago
I made it with ground Turkey. It was fabulous. Added it to the lettuce leaves with thinly sliced cucumber and finely diced tomato. Also made a sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar and a tsp oil with sugar.
Dandan
2 years ago
Hi Mark, you are really good. The only Website for me to get thai recipes. Thank you!
Amy Van Elslande
2 years ago
I LOVE YOUR TRAVEL VIDEOS, IT WILL BE A PLEASURE TO TRY YOUR RECIPE!
Jes
2 years ago
This was amazing! Easy to make and so delicious. It will be a frequently made dish now that I know where to find some of the ingredients.
Katie
2 years ago
I usually follow a youtube video for my laap (we like chicken or beef), but I’m going to try yours out this weekend. You should link this recipe in your toasted sticky rice recipe, that’s originally how I found your site :) Happy cooking!
Cath
3 years ago
Made this today, thank you, thank you for the recipe! very good and easy. Made a few modifications as someone can’t have fish sauce, and used thai basil instead of mint because we had that already, and it was excellent! A new go to dish
SEAN ฌอน
3 years ago
This recipe is pretty much dead on for how it’s made here in Thailand. Of course there are always variations depending on the cook. The gal that makes it at my local daily fresh market ditches the mint all together, opting rather for a healthy dose of ‘Pahk Chee Falahng’ / ผักชีฝรั่ง (‘Culantro’ as you have it listed). She also adds in a couple tablespoons of fresh made pork broth which keeps it moist and adds an extra bump of flavor. It’s INCREDIBLE!
One thing that has always puzzled me is why in Western written references to this dish it’s called ‘LARB’. There is in fact no such Thai consonant in the native word that has the ‘R’ sound. Hence Westerners unknowingly mangle the pronunciation every time, it’s maddening! The proper Thai pronunciation is ‘Lahb’ with a long ‘aah’ sound. Order it this way next time you’re in a Thai restaurant and watch them smile!
Martin
3 years ago
I love this larb recipe. It is the best. I eat it almost every week. Thanks Mark.
Lulu
3 years ago
This looks delicious! Is it meant to be eaten warm or at room temperature?
Frankie
3 years ago
“Culantro.” Thanks for that. I’ve only know it as “Pak Chee Falang.” After ten years in Thailand I still couldn’t find the name. It’s available in the Asian markets here in the North Bay (S.F. CA). Calling Hom Daeng “Thai Shallots” is a bit of misnomer, though. Excellent recipe – real deal
Nanelle L Jones-Sullivan
3 years ago
My understanding is culantro has many names (my favorite is shado brni, but also recao), but Hom Daeng, or Thai shallots, is not one of them. In my Asian market it is labeled ngo gai, which I believe is Vietnamese.
Nanelle L Jones-Sullivan
3 years ago
Oh! I see! You were describing two different ingredients. My bad.. I will add “‘Pak Chee Falang” to my list “of a thousand names”, which should include shado beni, not brni.
Kay
3 years ago
Highly recommend this recipe for larb and makes the best base for converting to vegetarian version (better than using other vegetarian larb recipes online), it is the most authentic tasting I have found. We can buy brilliant faux shrimp paste and fish sauce in melbourne (Vincent Vegetarian Food) so converting only involves dropping the prawns and replacing the mince wth silk tofu crumbled by hand (still need to heat/cook it). I think u might need a bit more lime juice with tofu, probably because it absorbs so much. I (inauthentically) also usually add some finely sliced kaffir lime leaves either to the larb or the rice cos I love them and have a ready supply.
Kay
3 years ago
Actually I tell a lie, I use firm tofu crumbled, not silken.
Alfonso Ortiz
3 years ago
hi there .loking good ,gonna make it your way in about an hour .i will let you know. I made it long ago but didnt remember it really good anymore so looking for a nice recipe i found yours and looks terrific.
thanks a lot …..greetings
Alfonso
Amy
3 years ago
Great recipe. I like that you say to adjust the sauce to one’s taste. If I remember, that’s what Thai people do too, hence the vinegar, sugar, chili, and fish sauce on restaurant tables. In any case, I came here to say that instead of meat, I used a block of firm tofu crushed with a fork, quickly heated with 1/2 c. veggie stock. Delicious! I also used 2 dried homegrown Thai dragon chilies, chopped. If you don’t have the traditional lime on hand, lemon is not a bad solution. Thanks for the recipe!
Joy
3 years ago
Thank you so much for this recipe! My roommate is allergic to pork and we had already had chicken twice this week, so I also used ground dark meat turkey (I try to avoid the all white meat mince, because that removes the delicious fat from the equation) and this was dang delicious. So easy to make, and so satisfying to eat. We are in the states, but luckily have several asian markets nearby, so it wasn’t difficult at all to source the toasted rice powder or the glutinous rice. We’ll definitely be making this again. I appreciate the work you, your wife and her mother have been doing. Your recipes are clearly explained and easy for a moderately experienced cook to make. I look forward to trying another one soon.
Nicolette
3 years ago
What an easy and yummy recipe! Absolutely loved it. Dinner was a hit. HIGHLY recommend you try this.
Brabra
3 years ago
I’m a huge fan of this dish and am excited to try to make it myself. I live in a small town in Mexico and haven’t been able to find Thai sticky rice. What other kind of rice can I use as a sub? Thanks!
Minou
2 years ago
I used Jasmine rice. I think it was tasty. I found a recommendation in a Thai blog to use Jasmine rice if glutinous rice isn’t available.
Linda Agnelli Carroll
3 years ago
This recipe is the best one out there. The single pot and not over cooking the ingredients is the secret to happiness. Also trusting yourself with the spices and making it the way you like it. Thank you so much for this great recipe
l-e
3 years ago
regarding the roasted rice I used a coffe grinder very quick and one ends up with a uniform mix of rasted rice. cheers
Joel Bruner
3 years ago
Hey thats a great recommendation! I like it! Can I ask this, did your coffee taste of smoke/rice the next time you made it? Not that its a bad thing (one of my favorite types of tea is a rice tea, popular in the Koreas and China…). Have a great day, thanks for the comments!
l-e
3 years ago
no rice flavour transmitted to the coffee. cheers L-E
John Gussenhoven
3 years ago
One can use white rice and grind after any spice more or less. It absorbs almost all the previous oils and aromas.
Peter
3 years ago
I have a dedicated coffee grinder for spices. It has never seen coffee. I have to watch my sodium, so subbed in dry , flake tuna for the fish sauce.
Joel Bruner
3 years ago
This is excellent Peter, love the idea of a dedicated grinder for spices (and do you also have a separate one for coffee :) ? )
owen
3 years ago
Laab is Laotian, not Thai. Can’t say I’m surprised though, the Thai try to claim everything as their own (such as Khmer historical sites and half of Cambodia’s coastline)
Hanumancat
3 years ago
Good recipe overall but one important ingredient is missing. As a preface, I am a returned Peace Corps volunteer Thailand 1980-1984 stationed in Khon Karen in Essan (NE Thailand) so I am very familiar with Essan food. There wasn’t much Thai food in the US when I came home so I learned how to cook Thai food as much as I could before leaving Thailand. Over the years I have been tweaking my recipes and researching new recipes. Your website has been publishing great Thai food recipes and I must commend you on your efforts. The missing ingredient is galanga powder. I don’t think I have had lard in Essan without galanga powder. I live in San Francisco and galanga fortunately is relatively easy to find. I peel an inch of galanga, slice it thinly and toast it in a dry pan until light brown then grind to a powder. For this recipe I usually add one Tbsp. This makes a huge difference to the taste of the dish. If you can’t find fresh galanga, try to find frozen or dried galanga. If you have leftover galanga, freeze it or make Tom Kha Gai (coconut galanga chicken soup with it).
Randi K
3 years ago
I doubled the recipe and made it with ground turkey. Totally delicious!
Joel Bruner
3 years ago
Wow! That makes me wonder if there’s a turkey version happening anywhere here in Thailand – awesome creativity Randi!
John Gionis
3 years ago
Oh Mark,
It’s you!! Great recipe, everyone loved it.
Love your YouTube segments and even went to ‘Trigono’ at Kalyvia based on your rec.
My young son smashed about 5 of their wine glasses!
Anyway, cheers and I love your work- I’ll chase you up in BKK when I get over there some day.
Chong dii!!😀😀
Joel Bruner
3 years ago
Hi John :) Sorry to hear about your son, but I am happy to see your excited comments. Thanks for the support, have a great day!
sean
4 years ago
thanks for providing authentic recipes.
i spend a lot of time eating street food in thailand and your recipes are the real deal. all the best
BD Forest
4 years ago
Mark, I recently discovered your site and YouTube videos. I have never bothered to comment on a cooking site before but you do such a great job I wanted to say thank you. I am from the US, but live in Tokyo now and I can get quite a few Thai ingredients. This recipe is great. Just one question–some recipes I found on the internet also add lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Does anyone know if it is traditional to add lemongrass, or is that something that Western cooks add to their larb? Of course, I don’t mind adding lemongrass to anything.
Mary
4 years ago
This Larb recipe is amazing…best I’ve ever made. In fact, may be best recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you!! FIVE STARS (not sure if the rating will take my 5 star review)
Drew
4 years ago
Best way to eat fish ….. Soooooo good!
Kayla
4 years ago
I made this for the first time. Omg it so good! Thank I for sharing. I love trying out new dishes.
Frank Hartigan
4 years ago
Had never used or learned about khao kua, and it made all the difference.
Mai
4 years ago
I like thinly sliced baby kaffir lime leaves. Really brightens it!
Michelle Lujan
4 years ago
The best … mine came out soooo authentic i wanna cry its so yummy
Gundug
4 years ago
Mouth watering just reading the larb moo recipe, Favourite dish when at home with my Thai family, be trying this out tomorrow
Mimi
4 years ago
I love these recipes!!! They’re soooo delicious and yummy!!! Can’t get enough of these flavors!!!!! They are my favorite thai dishes.
Mack
4 years ago
Not nearly, and I mean nearly as hot as my first experience with laab that I had in Sakeo, Thailand in 1980.
Tricia
4 years ago
Does the rice flour get cooked or is it ground small enough that it doesn’t need to be cooked? Would sushi rice work if I can’t find thai sticky rice?
Drew
4 years ago
It’s not rice flour as It’s toasted rice, it should have a crunchy consistency which adds an amazing texture and flavour to this dish
Cat
5 years ago
will a wooden pestle and mortar work?
Lulu
5 years ago
Tastes just like my mom’s!
volker
5 years ago
use birdeye cillies instead of chilly powder. inriches the flavour much better and the spice is much more refined
Tuomas
5 years ago
Completely disagree, this is not the classic way and for me makes the larb taste wierd.
James K
4 years ago
Fresh chilli doesn’t go in Larb, always dried.
Gundug
4 years ago
Funny that, my wife always serves me larb moo with fresh chilli, garlic, greens and cabbage. I do love Isan spicy though 😂
Peter Punky
5 years ago
P Sure you want more fish sauce in there…just saying. Gave it a go, and yeah, theres some savory to be added. Semi-equal parts lime juice and fish sauce works better
Alex
4 years ago
I don’t know about your fish sauce but if I would put more than a few drops of my fish sauce in it, you would not be able to eat it – first of all it would be way too salty and you would taste only fish.
Christoph
5 years ago
I made this dish last weekend, it is just mindblowingly tasty! I used minced pork, the texture and taste of it is just perfect, but I am going to try other types of meat as well.
Jennifer chavis
5 years ago
My first Thai dish I tried and fell in love with it. I love mine extra spicy with a side of cucumbers and snake beans, and a bowl of white rice. I love your recipes mark. Great videos and blogs thanks
Adam
5 years ago
I’ve loved making this dish for years, and this was an OK recipe. Unavailable to ground chicken, I used 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, and I believe it added a bit of depth, though made it drier. And I added a squirt of rice vinegar for a bit more acidity, and slivers of lime peel.
Because the turkey’s so low in fat, it tends to clump up while cooking. Low and slow, turning and breaking up often. It didn’t have the punch we were looking for, but a squirt of sriracha gave it just right added heat and flavor.
I couldn’t find Thai sticky rice, so we had to suffer with long grain white for the flour and the side, with just a bare drizzle of toasted sesame oil to help offset the dryness of the turkey, and to deepen the flavor profile.
Kate
2 years ago
So you changed heaps of things about the recipe and then remarked it was only “ok”. Hmmm….
Kindred
5 years ago
Awesome! Great flavors and simple to put together.
Liz
5 years ago
Just made this in about 15 minutes, and it was authentic, delicious, and so simple. You can grow most of the herbs (and grow/use fresh chile peppers instead of the chili flakes), making it even cheaper and fresher. It’s an absolute crowd pleaser and I’ll definitely cook this again. Thanks!
Siggy
5 years ago
I haven’t made this yet but I will.
Mark Wiens
5 years ago
Great to hear that Siggy, enjoy!
Susana
5 years ago
You are so AWESOME! I’m so happy I found your blog!!! Your recipes are great and also, you are inspiring my 8-year-old son to cook like you! Thank you so much for that!!!
Rita
5 years ago
Thanks for posting this recipe. I can’t wait to make your version of it. I’m curious- in the US it’s not easy to find minced chicken. Do you have any suggestions on how to mince rapidly? Would I use a food processor?
Thanks, Rita
kamryn
5 years ago
usually if you get chicken breast or thigh and take it to the meat department, they will mince it for you. Also, if you like near trader joes or sprouts, they both have ground chicken
Adam
5 years ago
I made this with 99% fat-free turkey breast. It’s as bland as chicken breast, but you really have to pay attention to the turkey; it tends to clump. Keep turning and breaking it up, and it enjoys the flavors every bit as much as chicken.
Will
5 years ago
Made this tonight with beef…not bad at all. The only thing I did different was mixed in a bit of beef blood and beef bile for an extra kick..let’s just say there were no left overs haha
Anni
5 years ago
Thanks for the guidance, lovely result, really refreshingly tangy and fragrant! I will definitely make this again ;-)
Linda
5 years ago
Thank you so much for building this wonderful site!
malinda
5 years ago
I first had Larb when I was Indiana of all places-it was fabulous!! Today I followed your recipe and am thrilled-it is super delicious. Thanks for sharing these authentic recipes
Rebecca
5 years ago
I’ve been traveling to Thailand for twenty years, and this is hands down my favorite dish… And this recipe is hands down the best, most authentic version I’ve found. We’re so grateful you posted this!
We make 4x servings, because it keeps well and tastes even better the next day. If you multiply the servings, and are using rice powder instead of toasted rice, you need to slightly reduce the total amount or it will be a bit “goopy”.
We use a ratio of 3:1 chicken to pork, wth the pork adding moisture (via the fat content), but also because of the boost in flavor.
We found culantro at our local Latin grocery, and WOW, what a difference! It’s more citrusy than cilantro when raw, very aromatic, and best of all, i hate cilantro because it tastes like soap to me, but culantro does not. I’m so excited to try it in other dishes that call for cilantro!
Finally, we have toasted the rice, and used a mortar to crush it, and i can honestly say there is no substitute… It’s worth the time, but make sure to make a bigger batch… We love to mix it in, but alsi sprinkle extra on after serving. The texture contrast is especially important if you’re serving over rice alone (we put it intro romain lettuce leaves cut in half, and eat it like a taco ????).
Note: try boosting the lime juice – this is fantastic when extra sour, and you can serve raw sliced shallots, mint, culantro, and powdered chili as condiments for people to customize… All the ingredients are mellowed by the heat, but raw they add a different dimension.
Michael
5 years ago
I have lived with different Thai students in London and watched them cook Larb moo and I have never seen them cook this dish with oil, it is always cooked in a minimal amount of water and packs a great flavour without oil.
Meranda
5 years ago
Thank you for your Blog! My sister n law is Thai and she attempted to show me how to make but I learn easier by doing…..this way I can try on my own. Furr (not sure correct spelling) is also a great soup recipe I think everyone would enjoy if you know how to make I’d love to revisit and see how you do.
Tika
5 years ago
I tried this recipe today. As i tried to reduce the consumption of meat, so i replace the meat with tofu. i think its also taste good. thanks for sharing the recipe
Joel Bruner
5 years ago
You are very welcome Tika! Yes, most of these recipes are adaptable to a wide variety of diets, not only how we might see them made at the shop.
Brandon
5 years ago
Hi, I just wanted to correct you that one pound is approximately 454 grams, not the 300 you have listed.
Lunar Standstill
5 years ago
Hey, I really wanna give this a go my Thai sister in law made it when she came over once and i’ve never forgotten how lush it was!! but i don’t have sticky rice in the cupboard, only sushi rice, could i still use this? i do have jasmine as well but thought sushi would be stickier (even though you don’t cook it as such). HeLp
Kirill Galperin
5 years ago
My first attempt at Thai food. Luckily I have access to a large Asian market and was able to get all the ingredients as well as Berkshire pork. Came out perfect as the pork was lean making for a nice dry salad. Throw in some fresh diced chili’s for an extra kick. Great recipe and super easy.
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5 years ago
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wirehair76
5 years ago
This is really, really good
Jessica
5 years ago
This was fantastic! Easy to make and a fresh way to mix up the routine. Thank you!
Debra Yearwood
5 years ago
I made this for dinner tonight. It was FANTASTIC! Thanks!!
Tanyah
6 years ago
Lovely recipe and authentic in that it has ground roasted rice in it! Thanks ????????
Ville
6 years ago
Dude! You´re my hero :)
Is there a change that when you find some sweet food spot in Bangkok or where ever, you could “mark” hehehehe it to some map?
Michelle Sievers
6 years ago
I just discovered your blog and I LOVE it! Keep it coming!!!
RITA
6 years ago
This recipe is spot on! I put the toasted rice in my coffee/spice grinder and it made quick work of making it into powder ;)
Dag Nasty
6 years ago
I could eat this every day. Seriously.
Anne-Marie
6 years ago
Hey Mark,
From Belgium and raised with all fresh and homemade food, Flemish, French and some German influences. However, since I lived in San Francisco and traveled all over the world, except Asia, that’s next, I am really interested in mastering the art of any ethnic cooking.. wish I could open a multi cultural restaurant somewhere. Will make your latb gai pork salad today with my own personal touches. Thanks and have a great thai day????????????
Matt
6 years ago
Thanks for the great recipe. Subbed in organic ground chicken and added a minced Serrano peeper to dial up the heat. The tosted rice is a great technique. This is going into the rotation on thai nights in my house. Sawadee khrap!
Rebecca
5 years ago
Curious, to up the heat why you didn’t just add fresh Thai chili peppers, which are much hotter than the powder? We’re they not available?
Stacy Samuels
6 years ago
I’m so excited I found your site. I’m living in Germany with my husband and kids and I miss my Grandma and her cooking back in the states. There’s a Thai restaurant close by that is delicious (but the lady isn’t so nice haha) anyway, thank you for bringing me a bit closer to homega!
Paul Pieske
6 years ago
Mark, I made this tonight. It was sick (that’s a good thing!). Thanks again for another killer recipe.
Andrea Becker
6 years ago
Made a vegetarian version of this with TVP last night and it was a hit! Thanks so much.
Luisa Arango
6 years ago
How you did the vegetarian version? Would love to give it a go if you don’t mind sharing the recipe :)
spike
6 years ago
Just use tofu insread of pork. It will crumble up just like ground meat. The fish sauce is problematic if you are strict, but you can use some vegetabke sources of umamai loke fermented black beans or dried mushrooms or just leave it out.
David
5 years ago
Thanks Mark. I was looking for this for a long time. Here a “vegan fish sauce” not to difficult to make: https://www.feastingathome.com/vegan-fish-sauce/
Steve-oo
5 years ago
I used cauliflower, that had been minced and sauted until soft but still crunchy.
SimGwe
5 years ago
Did precisely the same thing just now. Excellent!
Max bentjerodt
6 years ago
Hi great recipe, will distribute. any amazon.com thai brand that is spicy and red like u ised?
shannon ferguson
6 years ago
yummy!
CeeJayKay
6 years ago
I tried another Larb Gai recipe last night and was so put off. It was mainly the same recipe but called for 4 tbsp of fish sauce! I only used 2 tbsp but it was extremely salty and overwhelming. I didn’t even like the aroma while it was cooking! I decided this morning to see if I could come up with a different recipe because I liked the concept of Larb Gai. I was so happy to see in this recipe only a 1/2 tbsp of fish sauce, which to me seems more appropriate. I zested lime into the meat while it was cooking to give it extra lime flavor. Instead of toasted rice, I took the easy route and used La Choy crispy rice noodles. Also, I did serve this over a cabbage, lettuce and cucumber salad and topped with peanut satay sauce. I’m going to make it again, but I’m following your recipe for the meat.
Suwaree Lekpong
6 years ago
I use soy sauce and chicken stock powder- I love it as I can’t handle the smell of fish sauce any more.
Sodium avoider
6 years ago
I just bought a larb moo from my favourite larb/ som tum/ sup nomai place in Bangkok – in a little night market near Lumpini Park. I watched the woman cook it. Just a tiny squirt of fish sauce, it would have been well under half a tablespoon. It should be spicy and a bit sour, not salty. I just ate it and, as usual, it was superb.
Sodium avoider
6 years ago
Just one more thing though: I don’t know what you’re making there but it is nothing like larb gai.
Dee
6 years ago
Same here. I dont know what that is either.
Lisa Condry
6 years ago
Add fish sauce after the meat is cooked and the fire is off. The fish sauce would taste better than the soy sauce.
channadoll
6 years ago
I get chicken larb at a Vietnamese place here in Anchorage, Alaska–nowhere else in town makes it as good as they do. I became addicted and figured I better start making it for myself at home before I go broke eating it 3 times a week. I found this recipe, made the khao khua that night and the recipe the next day, and it is almost *exactly* like they make it at my favorite spot—it is soooooo good! Gobble gobble gobble gobble! :-D I also made some for my traditional dance group using our wild silver salmon for the meat, and they loved it! Thank you for posting this recipe! Gobble gobble gobble gobble! :-D Love this site!
phyllis
6 years ago
this took me a little time to make but it was well worth it! very awesome recipe! thanks!
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Thank you Phyllis, glad you enjoyed it!
Sodium avoider
6 years ago
I’m not in a position to cook it (cos I’m in a hotel) but I can vouch for the fact that it’s very authentic. The ingredients are spot on and the quantities look very close to the one I just ordered and watched being made here in Bangkok. There are plenty of small variations – some Lao people will add pieces of tripe (though more common in larb neua), usually there is no coriander and often there is less mint and green onions than in this recipe, and obviously the amount of chilli varies a lot – but this recipe does look very traditionally accurate.
Stacy Samuels
6 years ago
Oh that’s what it’s missing (to be the same as my grandma’s)… tripe!!
Francis and Ariane
6 years ago
Hi Mark,
We love larb moo…I replaced the fish sauce with soy sauce(allergic) and fresh chilis…great!
CeeJayKay
6 years ago
What a great idea to replace the fish sauce with soy sauce. I might try that next time.
steve
6 years ago
looks great but…. you’ve go to give us a print function – please
Jessica
6 years ago
Perfect recipe! We are recovering from various winter ailments in our house, and this is such a healthy, healing, and easy to make meal. So excited to make it again with chicken and then beef.
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Hey Jessica, thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it!
spike
6 years ago
I totally hacked this recipe with what I had on hand – red onions instead of shallot, lemon juice instead of lime juice, and some jarred Laab seasoning (the chile powder and rice powder) from a Thai friend. The proportions were just right and I got a spectacular result, even with two day old sticky rice reheated in the microwave,
Michelle
6 years ago
I love making larb moo, I got it at a thai restaurant one time and I became addicted then I was so upset when the restaurant closed but then I found this recipe and it is so nice, I eat it with lettuce and it is my favourite food and is simple to make
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Hey Michelle, so happy you found this recipe and that you enjoy eating larb. Enjoy!
Mai Winston
6 years ago
Wow this is a yummy dish. I add some lemongrass and fresh Thai chilies into my dish and it was perfect.
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Awesome to hear that, thanks Mai!
Bernadette
6 years ago
So the rice stays uncooked only fried and then grounded fine?
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Hi Bernadetta, yes, the rice is powdered form and just provides a slight crunch to the dish.
Stephen
6 years ago
Good instruction on recipe. Wish there was non-glutinous recipe.
Mark Wiens
6 years ago
Thank you Stephen, glad you enjoyed it!
Laura
6 years ago
Glutin in rice is not the same as gluten in wheat. (Note the difference in spelling.) All Rice is a gluten free food. Glutin with an “i” indicates a sticky texture. Gluten with an “e” can be a digestively offending protein found in (all and only) bread grains which includes wheat, spelt, kamut, farro, barley, rye, triticale, etc. , and anything derived from such grains such as couscous, bulgar, etc.—and then after further processing you get bread, pasta, flour, etc. Gluten can be hidden in packaged products. READ the label. Many companies now indicate on the label if it is gluten free. Oats do not have gluten. Oats can get cross contaminated with gluten because farmers rotate their crops with gluten grains, usually wheat. If you are severely sensitive you can pay extra for certified gluten free oats. Buckwheat is gluten free. It is a grass. Other gluten free grains are quinoa, amaranth, wild rice, corn, millet, etc. Additionally the gluten issue many people have in America may be due, in part, to GMOs. Wheat, corn, soy are predominantly grown using these practices. Avoid GMOs by eating organic when possible!
Veronica Farley
7 years ago
It was okay. Pretty solid foundation. However I added quiet a bit of lemomgrass, chicken broth, garlic, and ginger before it was almost perfect for me :)
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Thanks Veronica, sounds good!
Clare
7 years ago
Stunning! Will be cooking this recipe too.
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Thanks Clare!
Peter
7 years ago
Hey Mark
On a recent holiday to Thailand I found Larb Moo Tod on a menu at a restaurant we visited. The small deep fried patties were a great variation of Larb Moo. Have you seen this on your travels through the Kingdom.
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hi Peter, great to hear from you. Yes, I’ve had it quite a few times, it’s a nice variation. Thanks for sharing!
Binh
7 years ago
I found this this recipe easy to execute but extremely lacking in flavor, tastes mostly like what you expect cooked pork to taste like. Served it but had to quickly look for a fix as it was not well received. Found a different recipe that called for 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to 1 lb of pork in addition to more sugar and limj. Made up the difference in the “sauce” in a separate bowl and added it to what was originally made. Rave reviews after that!
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Binh, thanks for the feedback. Perhaps it just all depends on the sourness or your limes and flavors of your ingredients. That’s one reason why Thai recipes can’t fully be followed, but rather you need to rely on taste testing and adding. Glad it worked in the end!
Belinda Farinas de Leon
7 years ago
Yum!
Elaine
7 years ago
I ordered Laab at a local Thai restaurant that I love. It sounded good on the menu. Why did it smell like feces? It was an utterly repulsive odor. Too much fish sauce??
Jo
7 years ago
I have been trying any Thai restaurant I can find since I moved to Chicago and they all fail pathetically…. I am spoiled by the ones in Florida and Las Vegas. I have decided to stop wasting my money on those places and make my own. Your recipes are sooo authentic. I absolutely love the fact that you are here and I found you!!! Thank you for my healing food and my comfort food finally again.
Mary
7 years ago
Love your recipes and Laarb is a favorite. Great to make it myself! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
charles kelly
7 years ago
nice straightforward recipe. using lettuce delivery system for larb and rice. thank you!
Pheesao
7 years ago
As a child and all the way to adulthood, we would go to the market, (near Bang Saen), buy a piece of whole fatty pork to take home. Then, we’d wash the meat (raw meat hanging outside, with flies back then.) Once the meat had been washed, thin slice it. Place on our thick wooden cutting board, get out 2 very large chef knives, and we chopped the meat. We chopped & chopped, turning & mixing meat pieces at the same time. After about 30 hours (seemed that long to me when I was young), the meat was pronounced perfect. Then, and only then, did we begin to make Laab Moo (or Laab Neua). It was work, but worth every second.
When I came to the US, they had ground pork, but it was too ground up for the dish. It’s only in the last 10 or so years that I have been able to buy pork that is the proper texture.
I still make most of my ingredients & foods from scratch. In fact, tonight is the very first time in 59 years, that I am going to use store bought red curry paste! Mae Ploy brand, of course. I have my ingredients though, just in case it’s not as good as made from scratch curry paste. Laab Moo (Neua), Som Tham, & Sticky Rice. Snack foods from heaven & great movie watching foods!
Karlijn
7 years ago
Very happy with your larb, som tam and mango with sticky rice recipes. Everything turned out really well thanks to your very easy to follow instructions and videos. Thanks!
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Karlijn, great to hear that, glad they turned out well!
Kaz
7 years ago
Hi Mark. Thank you for all your amazing recipes. We have lived in pattaya for over a year, and love Thai food, but didn’t realise it was so easy to make our favourite dishes. 30 minutes on your site, and we were inspired to cook laab moo and gra pow. Both of them were successful and we now love cooking Thai food. Thank you for opening up this new hobby for us.
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hi Kaz, this is awesome to hear, glad you’re able to cook some Thai dishes the way you remember them in Thailand. Keep enjoying Thai food!
Puja Banerjee
7 years ago
Hey,
I want to cook this recipe with duck, so do I have to do it any differently. I mean do i have to marinate the duck or something.
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Puja, I think it would be pretty much the same, just mince it up and cook it the same. Hope you enjoy!
Texas Shopper
7 years ago
Tried this tonight with freshly ground chicken breast. Although I am not a fan of mint, I still added it and was pleasantly surprised how all the flavors worked together. My family really enjoyed it. Thank you!
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Great to hear that, glad you enjoyed it!
Paul Cox
7 years ago
Flew back to UK yesterday after 2 months in Thailand. Going to try your larb moo tonight! Missing som tam already…what can i use instead of green papaya??? Paul
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Paul, thank you very much, hope it turns out well. For green papaya, you could use cucumber or green mango. Enjoy!
Holger
7 years ago
You can try to use Kohlrabi as well.
Kieran monaghan
7 years ago
Love you’re recipes mark! You’re always so enthusiastic about thai food! !
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Thank you very much Kieran, appreciate your support.
Paul
7 years ago
After months of wanting to make this stuff I finally decided it was time. thx for this recipe it was amazing. will definitely be adding it to my go-to recipes!
M
7 years ago
Wow this was yummy! Every thing was to my own taste so I went off measurement. Mine did not look like yours but it’s delicious
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey M, great to hear you enjoyed it!
Alexandra
7 years ago
I made this tonight using ground turkey instead of pork. It was so easy to make and delicious!
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Alexandra, awesome to hear that, glad you enjoyed it!
Ruby
8 years ago
Its the most delicious and easiest larb gai recipe .. Mark you are the best!!!!!!
Thanx a million for sharing this awesome recipe with us, it has become a staple dish in our house!!
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Great to hear you enjoyed it Ruby, thank you very much!
Ruby
8 years ago
Today tried pad kra pao gai your style..GOOOOOD…. Awesome!!!!!!!! and so so easy. You know this time my visit to Chiang Mai was so fruitful. Gorged on Thai food for two months and bought lot of cooking ingredients , chillies, dried herbs that will last me this whole year.. :)
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Ruby, so great to hear you enjoyed this recipe and the pad kra pao as well. Glad you had a fun and delicious trip to Chiang Mai as well!
Mattias lindh
8 years ago
I love this, eat it almost every day…
I make it very thai style chilli strong.
It is very easy to do….
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Great to hear that Mattias!
Jane on Whidbey
8 years ago
30 years ago, I walked into a tiny Asian restaurant that had 150 items on the menu, and I had all of them over the course of the years we lived nearby. Larb was a favorite, along with the green mango salad. Oh, my. We ate dinner there 2-3 times a week, although it was 12 miles away. We became friends over the years. Sweet memories you kindled with this recipe. I’ve never had another as good as theirs.
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Jane, thank you for sharing, that’s an amazing story!
Xochitl Gonzalez
8 years ago
Can you substitute roasted rice powder for the toasted sticky rice? It’s an item I can easily buy in the grocery stores here in Los Angeles. I don’t think it adds any texture, though.
Thanks!
Xochitl
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Xochitl, hmmm, is it fine like flour? I’m thinking that if it’s already ground, it’s probably too fine – and this should be quite coarse so it has that texture. But you can make it with regular rice as well, just try fry it until it turns golden, then crush it or blend it quickly. Enjoy!
Xochitl Gonzalez
8 years ago
Made this the other night with pork that we had leftover from a carnitas recipe from Diana Kennedy – and was lazy and used the roasted rice powered. But we devoured it! Will make again, from scratch hopefully!
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
That sounds delicious, haha, good idea!
Alice
8 years ago
Thanks for this great recipe! Made it last night and it tasted awesome. Toasted rice was a MUST HAVE and so worth the effort.
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Alice, great to hear you enjoyed it. I agree about the toasted rice, makes all the difference.
Mai Chery
8 years ago
Mark, you are awesome! Started watching your youtube videos a few months ago but haven’t checked out your websites, until I stumbled upon this recipe. Thank you for all you do!
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Thank you very much Mai, really appreciate your support. Thank you for watching and reading!
Len
8 years ago
Mark,
Love the recipe…I live in Italy right now, and cilantro is difficult to find. I did find a couple of Asian groceries that occasionally have it. Having live in Miami before, I strongly prefer culantro, but that is impossible to find here. I got my hands on some seeds…about 10,000 of them (or two tablespoons LOL) but have had no luck getting them to germinate. Any tips on growing culantro???
Thanks,
Len
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Len, good to hear from you, glad you like this recipe and dish. Hmm, I’ve never tried to grow culantro before, so sorry I don’t have any tips myself. Maybe someone else here can help us?
Steve
7 years ago
Re cilantro (green dhunia / green coriander) … Many merchants of coriander seed sell it as a whole spice, not intending you to grow your own. To stop germination (or possibly to enhance the toasted flavor of the coriander seed) it is roasted before sale. Result: no germination – the seed is dead. You need to buy coriander seeds from a seed merchant, not coriander spice from a spice merchant. Buy the right seeds, and coriander / cilantro grows like a weed.
Mark Wiens
7 years ago
Hey Steve, great, thank you for the extra information.
Zarah
8 years ago
Love your website. My husband and I we’re fan of Thai food and been wanting to learn this recipe but it seems too much work until I saw your video. Thank you for sharing Mark! God bless you and more power to you!
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hi Zarah, great to hear from you, glad you and your husband love to cook Thai food too. This recipes is pretty simple to make, let me know how it goes.
Adam Butler
8 years ago
Hi Mark, just back from a month in Thailand with my family. My wife and I taught for two years at Bangkok Christian College from 2002-04, and it was our first time back since returning to Canada.
When we came home after our teaching stint, I was passionate about cooking Thai food, but my conviction faded over time. However, our recent trip rekindled my enthusiasm.
My wife and I have also resolved to make healthier dietary choices, and that involves removing much of the flour, rice, potato and sugar that we used to eat. Thai cooking actually makes this really easy, with a few small modifications.
One modification that works beautifully is to substitute lightly toasted white sesame seeds for the toasted sticky rice in Larb. Can’t wait to try it with your recipe. Also going to try substituting stevia for sugar.
Really glad I found your site, and keep up the great work.
Cheers,
Adam
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Adam, great to hear from you, so glad you you’ve spent time in Thailand, and that you enjoy cooking Thai food. Good idea for the healthier choices, the toasted sesame seeds I think will taste great. Also, when I’m cooking this for myself I usually don’t add the sugar, but I included it in this recipe as that’s the way it’s often prepared in Thailand. Let me know how it goes!
Shane
8 years ago
Looks great and I plan on giving it a try. One note – 454 grams = 1 pound (you have it listed as 300 grams)
•300 grams (1 pound) minced pork
Jane
8 years ago
I was a bit skeptical about this recipe because I found it too easy, but still decided to give it a try tonight, and omg, it was delicous!!! I added way more fish sauce, lime juice, fresh chilies and khao kua, according to our tastes only. My husband was so happy that I finally made him some laab. Thanx so much for sharing this recipe!
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Sounds fantastic Jane, glad you and your husband enjoyed it. Laab really is an easy dish to make – and it’s just all about taste-testing until you have the flavors perfect. Glad you liked it!
Olly Daniaud
8 years ago
Hey
Another great recipe. Thank you for making all this so accessible. My thing was Laos where I had a business in Luang Prabang for eight years and while the food was always a major incentive to travel back there as often as I could, I never got round to really mastering the art or even begin to. Your web site is a welcome treat to the un-initiated or those too shy to take the plunge.
All the best.
OLLY DANIAUD
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hello Olly, great to hear from you, thank you very much for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed your time in Laos, and especially the food. Yah, definitely give some of these dishes a try, they’re not too hard to make, and you can balance out the flavors by taste-testing. Let me know how it goes with the cooking, and have fun!
John Lipka
8 years ago
Just a couple suggestions from someone who has been trying to perfect this for a while.
I use fresh ground chili past and sweet chili sauce (both available at any asian market) rather than the chili flakes and brown sugar.
Cook the protein in a little sesame oil, add the chili sauces and lime and cook complete. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes to cool, or it will completely cook the add-ins, making them soggy instead of fresh and crisp. Toasted rice made in a food processor will be pretty fine, and works well to thicken the mixture, but hand ground toasted rice using a mortar in pestle will give you the crunch..just break the rice into quarter grain chunks, then use them both..
I kinda disagree about the Cilantro not being I’m portent..I use a full cup in a pound recipe, finely chopped. Thats Chaing Mai style..
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey John, great, thank you for your tips, sounds delicious. I like your idea about waiting until the meat cools so the heat doesn’t cook the herbs. Thanks again. Do you cook other northern Thai dishes as well?
Ken Stone
8 years ago
To each his own…It’s pretty good no matter how you make it. The garlic, fish sauce and lime juice though are crucial.
The cilantro really sets it off when you get it just right.
As for anybody traveling to Thailand, take a stock of Imodium with you.
Those spicy dishes will keep you in the toilet quite a bit.
I’ve ordered my food “Mai Phet” (not spicy) MANY, MANY times at restaurants there and they pay zero attention…More likely “A Little Bit Spicy” to them is still enough to explode your head.
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Ken, thanks for sharing your tips!
Jennifer
8 years ago
Hi Mark! I’ve been following you on your youtube videos and now your recipe blogs.. Wanted to let you know that you make me drool in every video!!! I am planning a trip to Thailand next year and will use your guide to getting good food.
Going to use your recipe to make pad see ew tonight for my roommates. Only thing I will do differently is add some finely chopped thai chili along with my garlic to give it an extra kick :)
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hi Jennifer, thank you very much for the encouraging words, and for watching my videos. Glad that you’ll be coming to Thailand soon! Let me know if I can help you with any planning.
Good idea for adding extra chili and garlic, that’s always a good thing!
Joan wise
9 years ago
Love your video in cooking thaifood ,you make it easy to follow.
Thanks:-)
I’m going to try making the larb.my family and I we love thaifood,a couple years ago we visited Thailand,we had a lot of fun and of course the food.we went to Bangkok and Phuket.too bad that here in America we can’t find an authentic thaifood.
Keep coming that recipes.
Mark Wiens
8 years ago
Hey Joan, thank you very much for watching and for reading. Hope you and your family enjoy the larb, let me know how it goes.
Andy
9 years ago
Hi Mark,
Following your recipe I made this about a week ago. Since then I’ve made it twice more……. Making it again tonight…… I think that says it all !
Thanks for posting; can’t wait to try the Bangkok real-deal when I arrive for the first time ( armed with your guide ) next January.
Cheers
Andy
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hey Andy, thank you very much for the comment, and so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and dish. Hope you have a wonderful upcoming visit to Thailand. Let me know if you have any other food related questions.
Keefieboy
9 years ago
I just made this – it was fabulous! (Although I did over-toast some of the rice)
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Great to hear that, glad you enjoyed it!
Christoph
9 years ago
Hey guys!
If you can´t buy sticky rice in town you can order it on Amazon :)
Greetings from Germany
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Thanks for sharing Christoph.
Paul
9 years ago
Made a version of this with chicken and shrimp for my wife on valentine’s. It was a huge hit. This recipe is so simple and quick.
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Awesome, thank you for sharing Paul, glad you had a great valentines and with larb!!
Kitti
9 years ago
need sticky rice
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Yes!
meena
9 years ago
My husband recently bought bangkok cookies larb. Can you please tell me what meat they have used to season the cookies.
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hello Meena. Hmm, I’ve never heard of cookies larb… where did you buy them? If it tasted like larb, they may have seasoned them with chilies, lime juice, mint, and roasted sticky rice.
Mark
9 years ago
Hi, thanks for your post.
I personally love Larb in every single variation. I could eat it every day.
This recipe is a all time classic.
What I also like is when they put some Padaek into the Larb.
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hey Mark,
You’re welcome, and thank you for checking it out, glad you love larb too!