How to Make Laab

Laab (ลาบ in Thai) is a North Eastern Thai food. Many Americans like to have Laab with beer as appetizer. The heat of the pepper and lime makes people thirsty. Laab is also a main course in Thai cooking because it is quick and easy to cook and it tastes great. Laab is usually served with fresh veggie such as cabbage, green beans, Thai basil and Thai water spinach. In Northern Thailand, Laab is often eaten with sticky rice. Below is the instruction and ingredients of how to Make Thai laab. You can use the same principal to make Lao laab w beef.

Ingredients for making Laab for 1-2 servings

• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) fish sauce
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) toasted rice
• 1/4 tablespoon ground dried chilli pepper
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/4 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1-2 limes
• 5 sprigs sliced cilantro
• 3 sprigs spearmint (optional)
• 1 sliced green onion (optional)

How to Make Thai Laab

1. Squeeze the juice from 1/3 of the lime on to the ground pork.
2. Mix well and let it marinade for just a couple of minutes until you are ready to cook it.
3. Heat up a pan on high until it is very hot.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of water and then immediately add your marinated pork and stir. The pork will stick to the pan at first, but then the juice will come out and the meat will loosen from the bottom.
5. Keep stirring until the pork is well done.
6. Put the pork in a bowl and mix it with all the other ingredients, add fish sauce, green onion, shallot, cilantro, the rest of the lime juice, ground chilli pepper and almost all of the toasted rice as well.
7. Save some of the toasted rice to sprinkle it on top for garnish.
8. Mix well and taste. It should be a little bit hot. You should be able to taste tartness and the fish sauce. If you need to add more fish sauce or lime juice, don't be afraid to do it. Getting the flavor balance right is a trial and error process.
9. Put the mixed ingredients in a serving bowl, garnish with spearmint and sprinkle the rest of the toasted rice on top.
10. Serve with vegetables such as cabbage, green beans, lettuce, and Thai basil.