Larb (Thai minced pork salad)
Zingy, herb-packed Thai minced pork salad with toasted rice powder — bright lime, fish sauce and fresh mint for a proper kick.
Larb is the Thai zing-fest of a salad: minced meat seared hot, tossed with lime, fish sauce, chillies and a forest of herbs. Toasted glutinous rice (khao khua) gives it that signature nutty texture.
Make this when you want something fast, fragrant and proper moreish — perfect for sharing with lettuce leaves or sticky rice. It’s bright, quick and far more exciting than plain mince.
Ingredients
- 500 g minced pork
- 40 g glutinous rice — for toasting and grinding into toasted rice powder
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 3 shallots — thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions — trimmed and sliced finely
- 2 bird's-eye chillies — finely chopped, or to taste
- 30 ml fresh lime juice — about 2 limes
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 g palm sugar
- 20 g fresh mint — leaves only
- 15 g fresh coriander — leaves only
- 0 ml sea salt
Equipment
- spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Instructions
Make the toasted rice powder: heat a dry frying pan over medium heat on the hob. Add the glutinous rice and toast, stirring constantly, until the grains are evenly golden-brown and fragrant.
Cool the toasted rice for 5 minutes, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Prepare the herbs and aromatics: thinly slice the shallots, trim and slice the spring onions, finely chop the bird's-eye chillies, and roughly chop the mint and coriander leaves.
Whisk the dressing: in a small bowl combine the fresh lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and sea salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high hob flame. Add the minced pork and cook, breaking up any lumps, until just cooked through and no longer pink.
Immediately transfer the hot pork to a large mixing bowl. Pour over the dressing, then add the shallots, spring onions, chillies, ground toasted rice (from the glutinous rice), mint and coriander. Toss well to combine and taste for seasoning, adjusting lime or fish sauce if needed.
Leave the larb to rest for the flavours to marry for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature on a platter with crisp lettuce leaves and lime wedges, or alongside steamed sticky rice.
Tips
- Toast the glutinous rice in a dry pan until golden-brown and fragrant, then cool completely before grinding — warm rice makes a clumpy powder.
- If the dressing tastes too salty or sharp, add a little more palm sugar or a few drops of water; balance is the point of larb.
- Cook the meat just until done — overcooking dries it out. If there’s excess fat, spoon it off or blot with kitchen paper.
- Make up to 2 hours ahead and keep at room temperature; refrigerate leftovers and eat within 48 hours.
- Serve with crisp lettuce leaves or steamed sticky rice to soak up the juices rather than as a plated salad alone.
Substitutions
minced pork → minced chicken, same quantity
Stays closefish sauce → light soy sauce, same quantity
Noticeably differentglutinous rice → plain long-grain rice toasted, same weight
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 320
- Calories
- 25 g
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make larb vegetarian?
Yes — swap the minced pork for finely chopped mushrooms and tofu, and replace fish sauce with a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative or soy sauce. The texture and flavour will be different but still delicious.
What if I don't have a spice grinder?
Use a mortar and pestle to pound the toasted rice to a coarse powder; it takes a bit longer but gives great texture.
How spicy is larb?
Spice level is adjustable — start with one bird's-eye chilli, taste, then add more. The acid and fish sauce balance the heat well.
Can I make larb ahead?
You can mix it and chill for up to 2 hours before serving; avoid refrigerating already-dressed larb for long as herbs go limp and flavours mute.
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