Larb gai
Larb Gai is a light, flavorful dish from northern Thailand. The sour, spicy and sweet tastes will keep your interest, and you probably won’t realize you’re not actually eating a lot.
After a bite of the chicken, take a cool bite of carrots, cucumber or cabbage to counteract the chiles. (Conversely, you can boost the heat level by adding more red pepper flakes.) If you prefer, substitute seafood or another meat for the chicken.
Chicken and assembly
Mix together the tamarind paste and the water, then press it through a sieve; it’ll be like a paste. Combine it with the chicken and let it stand for 2 minutes.
Heat a medium skillet over high heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until the shallots start to become translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken to the pan; stir until it’s cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken, garlic and shallots to a large bowl. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and pepper flakes. Add the mint leaves, red onion and Roasted Rice Powder and toss to mix. Divide the chicken mixture among 6 plates. Arrange the green onions, cucumber and carrot slices along with the cabbage wedges around each plate and serve.
Roasted rice powder
Toast the rice in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Keep stirring as the rice cooks. Once the rice is light brown and fragrant, transfer it to a blender or food processor. Blend the rice until it’s rough and the grains are about 1/4 their original size. Set aside.
Get our Cooking newsletter.
Your roundup of inspiring recipes and kitchen tricks.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
