Poslfit Recipes: Larb Gai
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
35 mL Thai fish sauce (we like Squid brand)
35 mL freshly squeezed lime juice
2 mg (½ tsp.) plain white sugar
10 mg coarsely ground dried chili pepper
30 mL water (do not be tempted to add more)
250 g coarsely ground chicken thighs
50 g thinly sliced shallot
10 g fresh culantro (sawtooth coriander) leaves and stems cut to 3 cm lengths
10 g fresh cilantro leaves and stems cut to 3 cm lengths
20 g thinly sliced scallions
30 g toasted rice powder (khao khua)
10 g fresh mint leaves
cooked sticky rice (we use Japanese rice because that's what we always have)
uncut leaves of Romaine lettuce
![[photo of larb gai in a pot]](larb-gai.jpg)
Serves four as a main course, eight as an appetizer.
If you cannot find culantro, double the cilantro.
Toasted rice powder is Thai sticky rice (no substitutes), cooked dry over medium heat until it
all turns golden, then ground to a powder. Toast the rice when you have time, and keep it up
to a month or so in an airtight spice container; grind it in a mortar or spice grinder
right before using it.
Mix the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves;
then add in the dried chili pepper.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat in a three-litre saucepan.
Keeping the heat high, add the chicken and stir it vigorously with a
spoon for a couple of minutes, until it is all broken up and cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir the shallots in thoroughly.
Pour in and mix thoroughly the sweetened sauce mixture.
Allow to cool for five minutes, then add culantro, cilantro, and scallions
and mix thoroughly.
Immediately prior to serving, add rice powder and mix thoroughly,
to add a nutty flavour and absorb excess moisture; then mix in mint.
Serve with sticky rice and lettuce; the lettuce is used to hold
and wrap small quantities of rice and larb gai.