Thai Larb Salad Recipe

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup hot water

2 tablespoons vinegar- white or rice wine

1 red onion (divided, see instructions)

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3 garlic cloves, rough chopped

4 tablespoons lemongrass, finely minced

1 teaspoon chili flakes, more to taste

16 ounces ground chicken, turkey, beef, lamb,

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

optional: 1 -3 tablespoons toasted rice powder

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2 cups cucumber, sliced or diced

2-3 radishes, sliced (or watermelon radish)

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh chili, finely minced (optional, or sub jalapeno, Thai red chili)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup chopped basil (Thai basil elevates)

2 tablespoons fish sauce

4-5 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar, maple, or honey

finely chopped fresh chili- optional!

Serve with lettuce wraps or jasmine rice or both!

Directions

Dice half the onion (you’ll need 1 cup diced) and thinly slice 1/4 of the onion ( 1/4- 1/2 cup).

Place the sliced onions in a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup hot boiling water and 2 tablespoons vinegar, place in the fridge.

Cook the meat

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced red onion, saute 3-4 minutes, add garlic, lemongrass and chili flakes. Saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground meat, breaking it apart with a metal spatula. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and continue cooking until all the liquid releases and evaporates about 10 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat, using a fine-mesh strainer.

While the ground meat is cooking, prep the remaining ingredients. Place the cucumber, radish, scallions, mint, basil, cilantro, fresh chili (optional) in a bowl. Add the drained meat and the strained pickled onions. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Taste, adjust salt, lime and heat. I’ll usually add more chili flakes. or finely diced fresh chilies.

Serve with lettuce wraps and/or cooked rice. Serve warm or chilled. ( If chilling, make doubly sure to strain all the fat from the meat -it will harden in the fridge.)

Nutrition

• Calories: 436
• Total Fat: 27.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 11.7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 82.9 mg
• Sodium: 1204.1 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 12 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
• Total Sugars: 4.5 g
• Protein: 21.1 g