Larb Gai

also called laab gai · larp gai · larb kai · lahb · laab · larb · minced chicken salad

The table

1 lb(450 g)ground chickenpoach 5 min, breaking it finedress off the heattoss
1/4 cup(60 mL)chicken stock
3 Tbsfish sauce
1/4 cup(60 mL)lime juice
2 tsptoasted chile powder
1 tsppalm sugar
2 Tbs(raw, uncooked)glutinous ricetoast 8 min, grind coarse
3(thinly sliced)shallots
1 cup(leaves)mint
1/2 cup(chopped)cilantro
3(thinly sliced)scallions
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1poach 5 min, breaking it fine

2toast 8 min, grind coarse

3dress off the heat

goes in with what step 1 made

4toss

goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 8 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
8 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 4 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 30 min.

  1. toast 8 min, grind coarse

    8 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. poach 5 min, breaking it fine

    5 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. dress off the heat

    not timed5 min in

  4. toss

    not timed8 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need mortar · skillet · wok

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Larb Gai
>> category: Salads
>> tags: chicken, thai, salad, mint, lime
>> counters: Thai Kitchen
>> aka: laab gai, larp gai, larb kai, lahb, laab, larb, minced chicken salad
>> pairs-with: som-tum
>> servings: 4
>> time: 30 min
>> step.1: toast 8 min, grind coarse
>> step.2: poach 5 min, breaking it fine
>> step.3: dress off the heat
>> step.4: toss

Toast @glutinous rice{2%Tbs}(raw, uncooked) in a dry #skillet{} over medium heat for ~toast{8%min}, shaking it until it is the colour of weak tea, then grind it to a coarse sand in a #mortar{}. This is khao khua, it is the grit that makes larb larb, and there is nowhere to buy it.

Poach @ground chicken{1%lb}(450 g) in @chicken stock{1/4%cup}(60 mL) in a #wok{} over medium heat for ~poach{5%min}, breaking it fine with a spoon. Larb is poached, never browned — a seared crust is the wrong texture and it stops the dressing soaking in.

Dress @&(~1)chicken{} off the heat with @fish sauce{3%Tbs}, @lime juice{1/4%cup}(60 mL), @toasted chile powder{2%tsp} and @palm sugar{1%tsp}, and taste it while it is warm: sour first, then salty, then a little sweet.

Toss @&(~1)larb{} with @&(~3)toasted rice powder{}, @shallots{3}(thinly sliced), @mint{1%cup}(leaves), @cilantro{1/2%cup}(chopped) and @scallions{3}(thinly sliced). Serve it warm, with sticky rice and raw cabbage to scoop it up.