Larb is an authentic and ubiquitous Laotian dish, a spicy beef salad which is packed with fresh herbs and chilli and served with steamed sticky rice.
Make a marinade for 250g (1 lb) of beef steak (we used sirloin) by combining 2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of finely minced galangal, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of (padaek) fermented fish sauce (if available) and 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder. Marinate for approximately 30 minutes. When you’re ready to cook, use a charcoal grill or a heavy pan over high heat and cook the steak for 2-4 minutes a side, depending on the thickness, until it is medium rare. Rest the steak for 5 minutes before slicing thinly. Place it in a large bowl with 2 teaspoons of thinly sliced red birds-eye chillies, 1-2 teaspoons of dried red chilli flakes, 1 tablespoon of very finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, ½ a cup of thinly sliced spring onions, 1 cup of roughly chopped fresh mint, ½ a cup of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), 1-2 tablespoons of shredded fresh Vietnamese mint and ½ a cup of finely ground toasted sticky rice. You can toast sticky rice by simply cooking it in a dry wok until it’s golden brown and then grinding it with a mortar and pestle. Mix everything well to combine and adjust seasoning with extra fish sauce and lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with extra chilli, herbs and ground rice.
This meal wouldn’t be complete without the Lao staple of sticky rice (Khao Neow), an opaque short-grain rice with low amylose content which becomes especially sticky when cooked. It requires soaking before it is steamed in a woven steamer. Sticky rice is eaten using fingers.
Rinse the rice in a few changes of water until the water is clear. Soak the rice for at least a few hours or overnight. When you’re ready to cook, bring water to a rapid boil in a steaming pot. Drain the soaked rice and put it in a bamboo steamer (these conical steamers are readily available from Asian stores) and place it over the boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. Next, flip the rice in the steamer and return it to the pot to steam for a further 10-15 minutes.The rice is cooked when it is soft to touch and springs back. Remove the rice to a tray or board and knead it with a spatula to let some of the steam out before placing it in a serving basket.
michelle picker cooks 