Larb A Quick Weeknight Dinner

Looking For A Quick Weeknight Dinner? – Try Larb

If Larb is the “unofficial” national dish of Laos, why do you find it in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries? Simple, these countries share borders, and as it is all around the world, share their food. You can find Larb (also often called larp or laab) in most curbside restaurants. Larb is also served raw and cold. I would be extra careful if you choose to consume meat this way.

We made a quick stop in Bangkok, Thailand, a couple of years ago and spent a day touring out of the way sights and markets. The people and the markets in Bangkok were fantastic. We went on a crazy tractor ride through the rice fields, were given a demonstration on making rice crackers and got to paddle our own little boat through a water lily farm. It was quite a day.

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Larb – Preparing the Ingredients

Larb is a great, weeknight meal. There is a bit of prep, but get your family to help! Also, in the summer, you are adding minimum heat to your kitchen. Less heat in the summer is always a good thing.

You can add as many fresh veggies to the mix as you have on hand, julienned carrots and celery, along with the cucumber and jicama would add crunch and texture. If you are serving this to kids, be careful with the number of chilies you add. These little chilies pack quite a hot punch. You can add the chilies as a garnish for the adults.

To make the veggie prep easier, you can use a mini-food processor. I have an ancient Oskar that was given to me by a friend years and years ago. There are several different mini-food processors on the market today, this is a one time purchase that will provide a great return.

A rice cooker makes the job of cooking the rice a no-brainer. Just put the rice and liquid in the cooker and push the button. When the rice is done, the cooker turns off. This handy machine is useful for cooking other grains as well like barley, quinoa, and bulgar.

Larb – Keeping it Light and Healthyish(?)

I chose to use ground turkey in my dish. Chicken and duck are not uncommon in Laos or Thailand. But you also frequently find Larb made with lamb, beef, and pork. I did add rice, as my husband wouldn’t consider this a main dish without a starch. If you are doing Keto or carb-free, you can leave the rice out, and the Larb is still delicious. You can also make this as a vegetarian dish by using tofu and mushrooms and soy sauce in place of the fish sauce.