What is Larb? Lao's Famous Spicy and Sour Meat Salad

What Exactly is a Larb?

The national dish of Lao, and probably the meatiest “salad” you’ll ever see. This dish may be called a salad but you won’t find much veggies here. Spicy, sour, and meaty, Larb is a dish that can be enjoyed at anytime of the day and for any season of the year.

known by many names such as: laab, laap, larp, lahp, light and sort of healthy, this dish is usually eaten with sticky rice and mostly eaten as part of a larger array of dishes.

Fun Fact: Larb is not Thai (but it’s ok if you think that, Larb is very popular in the northern regions of Thailand).

Ingredients in Larb

bundle of spearmint — Spearmint, a unique ingredient in larb that adds an extra refreshing minty flavor

There are many variations of Larb that are made with slightly different ingredients (which I will tell you about later on) but the most common form of this meaty salad needs to be spicy, sour, salty, and… Meaty.

The meat or protein is usually ground pork but honestly anything is possible. I’ve seen duck, fish, chicken, beef, and even mushrooms for the vegetarians out there

Usually the sour and saltiness comes from the fish sauce and lime, while the the spiciness comes from the ground chili pepper.

The salad part comes in the from cilantro, green onion, and shallots, and grounded up toasted rice. The toasted rice is probably the most important ingredient in a larb, the nice aromatics and crunchy texture really elevates this dish from a normal salad.

Another special ingredient is Spearmint which adds a cool refreshing aroma and taste into the dish.

Variations of Larb

It’s surprising that a simple dish such as larb can have so many different variations. Since Lao is bordering the north of Thailand it is no surprise that the northern Thai community has adopted and adapted larb to be a dish of their own.

The most common larb you can find internationally is the Laotian Style.

Laotian Style

lao style pork larb — Lao style larb that is served in most Thai restaurants

The most common and internationally known variation of larb is the Lao style. Usually made with the ingredients mentioned above, proteins, lime, fish sauce, chilis. The protein can be cooked or raw (yes, you read that right, RAW) and is served with a side of sticky rice.

The flavor profile is: spicy from the chilis, salty from the fish sauce, sour from the lime, and toasty from the rice.

Northern Thai Style

Northern Thai style larb is drastically different. Mostly found in the Isaac region of Thailand and known as Tai Nyuan or Lan Na, this style is not sour or salty as no fish sauce or lime is used. Instead dry spices such as cumin, cloves, star anise, etc… are used to add flavor.

Proteins are similar to the Lao version although a common addition is blood from the animal. This style is also eaten with a side of sticky rice.

Within the Northern Thai style are also many sub-variations of this dish:

larb dip with raw beef — **Larb Dip**

Larb with raw protein.

larb suk with cooked protein and animal blood — **Larb Suk**

Larb with cooked protein that is cooked with the blood of the animal.

lark khua with cooked protein and no blood — **Larb Khua**

Larb that is cooked with protein but without the blood

larb luat with raw protein blood kidney and bile — **Larb Luat**

An intense larb that is made with raw protein, blood, kidneys, and bile.

Raw Meat? Isn’t that Dangerous?

Yes.

It is widely known that eating Larb with raw meat could lead to parasitic infections or death. This is a accepted issue amongst many who serve and consume these types of Larb. However, much like any food one must understand the significance and culture behind eating raw meat. Think of it as eating steak Tar Tar.

Raw Larb may be dangerous but the key word here is “may”. Most if not all restaurants that serve this dish understand the risks and take special care to use properly sourced ingredients. Millions of people eat larb everyday in Lao and Thailand and at the same time millions do not die from eating larb. In fact, it is quite rare.

Larb’s Sister Dish, Nam Tok

namtok moo pork — A plate of nam tok moo (pork) with plenty of chillies

Nam Tok is a similar dish to Larb in that it contains much of the same ingredients and preparation.

The difference here is that Nam Tok is made using grilled sliced beef or pork that has been brought to a boil to create a stock which is then used as the sauce for the salad.

Fun Fact: Namtok is a word meaning “waterfall” in Lao and Thai, and the dish got it’s name from the juices that drip during the grilling process of meat.