Khao Khua remains grainy
The roasted rice powder should still have fine grains. Ground to powder, it binds too strong and makes the salad dry.
Thai Recipe
Larb Gai
Chicken chops are cooked in little liquid without tans. Limes, herbs and coarsely ground Khao Khua are added away from the heat and remain aromatic.
Total time
35 min
Calories
420 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
Thai chicken salad with lime and Khao Khua
Larb Gai comes from the kitchen of Isan in northeastern Thailand and is eaten warm or at room temperature. The characteristic ingredient is Khao Khua: dark roasted, coarsely ground rice, which smells nutty and easily binds the lime fish sauce. The chicken is not fried crispy but cooked juicy in little water. Mint and coriander are added only after switching off. Klebreis, cabbage and cucumber make a full meal out of it.
Quick Dinners
Lunch
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Larb Gai
Larb Gai is a north-east Thai chicken salad with lime, fish sauce, roasted rice powder, chilli, shallots, mint and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Roast rice dark
Move the raw rice and mackerel limette leaves in a dry pan at medium to high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the grains smell deep golden brown.
-
2
Khao Khua coarse grinding
Let toasted rice cool briefly and grind with lime leaves in the mortar or spice grinder to a granular powder. Do not use flour.
-
3
Cook chicken juicy
Boil water in a wide pan. Add chicken chop and a tablespoon of fish sauce and chop until it is completely cooked and reaches 75 °C.
-
4
Lightly wither shallots
Remove the pan from the stove. Turn the shallots in the still hot chicken for 1 minute so that they become a little milder, but keep their bite.
-
5
Balance Acid and Spice
Stir in remaining fish sauce, lime juice, chilli flakes and first four tablespoons of Khao Khua. Try and add little palm sugar with very strong acidity.
-
6
Adding herbs last
Stir in spring onions and coriander. Loosely remove mint just before dressing, so that it does not get dark.
-
7
Serve with fresh vegetables
Larb Gai warm or at room temperature with cabbage wedges, cucumber pins and according to your wishes cook clover.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Larb Gai
Do not fry crispy
Larb lives on juicy, loose minced meat. Little liquid cooks the chicken evenly without producing hard browned crumbs.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace chicken with not too lean pork chop and cook completely up to at least 71 °C. The rest of the seasoning remains the same.
Replace meat with 800 g finely chopped oyster mushrooms. Fry mushrooms dry until their liquid is evaporated, then season as described.
Nutrition per serving
420kcal
21.0 gCarbohydrates
44.0 gProtein
17.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Larb Gai
It is usually served warm or at room temperature. Ice-cold from the refrigerator, lime and fish sauce are less balanced.
Khao Khua is dark roasted and coarsely ground sticky or jasmine rice. It gives larb its nutty aroma and binds part of the dressing.
The Isan preparation keeps the minced meat juicy and soft. Strong roasted aromas would cover the fresh seasoning of lime, herbs and rice.
Chicken, dressing and roasted rice can be prepared. Mix Khao Khua, mint and other herbs just before serving.
Steamed klebreis as well as raw cabbage, cucumber and long beans are typical companions. The mild vegetables balances heat and salt.
Keep cooking