Larb

For the Ute Ceremonial Tobacco that causes mild intoxication when smoked, see Larb (Ute Tobacco).

Larb moo: made with pork, served with raw vegetables and sticky rice

Larb ped: with duck

Larb (Lao: ລາບ; Thai: ลาบ, RTGS: lap [lâːp], also spelled laap, larp, laab) is a type of Laotian and Isan (Northeast Thailand) meat salad that is regarded as the national dish of Laos. Larb is a creation of the Lao people, with 20 million living in the Isan region of Thailand, and 4.5 million in Laos. Larb originated in Laos and is one of the most famous dishes from Laos. Since larb is eaten all over Laos, including the southern half of Laos, which formerly included present-day Isan region of Thailand, published books regarding Southeast Asian cuisines generally refer to larb as simply a Lao-style (Laotian-style) salad.

Types of larb

Larb is most often made with chicken, beef, duck, turkey, pork or even fish, flavored with fish sauce, lime juice and fresh herbs. The meat can be either raw or cooked; it is minced and mixed with chilli, mint and, optionally, assorted vegetables. Roughly ground toasted rice (khao khua) is also a very important component of the dish. The dish is served at room temperature and usually with a serving of sticky rice and raw vegetables. Fresh Thai holy basil (bai kraphao) is also one of the standard accompaniments for larb in Thailand.

There are several kinds of larb from Northern Thailand which do not use lime or fish sauce, but rather other local condiments for flavor and seasoning. "Larb pla" (Thai: ลาบปลา) is a kind of larb which is made of minced fish mixed with spices. There is also a kind of larb called lu (Thai: หลู้), which is made of minced raw beef or pork mixed with blood, bile and spices. Lu is usually eaten with vegetables and often served with beer or the local moonshine called lao khao.

Nam tok

Main article: Nam tok (food)

Nam tok (Lao: ນ້ຳຕົກ, Thai: น้ำตก) is a Lao and Thai word meaning waterfall. It refers to a popular Laotian and Isan (northeastern Thai) meat dish commonly known as Ping Sin Nam Tok (Laos) or Nuea Yang Nam Tok (Thailand) meaning "Grilled Waterfall Beef". This dish can be regarded as a variation on larb, however the meat used in nam tok is sliced instead of using ground beef as is the case with larb. It can also be made with pork and it is then called mu nam tok. In the modern quick version the meat is not grilled and then sliced but first sliced and then boiled or fried for a very short time. The name is derived either from the dripping of the meat juices during the grilling or from the juices running out of the medium rare beef as it is sliced.

See also

• Thai cuisine
• Cuisine of Laos
• List of salads

References

• Information about larb in traditional Laotian cuisine
• Information about larb from northern Thailand (Thai)

External links

• Laotian cooking at the Open Directory Project
• Thai cooking at the Open Directory Project