Thai Beef Larb

We recently went to our favorite Thai food restaurant here in town and tried Beef Larb for the first time. Yeah, I know...the name sounds funny but believe me, it was good and we are HOOKED! I couldn't believe we had never tried it before. So good, I had to make my own the next day to post the recipe for you to try! It’s a spicy, salty and tangy minced (ground) meat salad with lime, fish sauce, chili flakes, cilantro, mint, red and green onion and topped with toasted rice. LUSCIOUS! Its typically served over Jasmine rice or served with raw veggies or put into lettuce or cabbage leaves. You can also make it with any kind of minced meat like beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and even fish. This version is with beef and it was so quick and simple to make. Hope you enjoy it! We certainly did!

For the toasted rice, heat a pan to medium-high heat, then add in a 1/2 cup of jasmine rice and start toasting it. You'll have to keep an eye on it because it can burn. I like mine to be a nice dark golden brown. Once its done, pulse it in a food processor for about 20 seconds until it turns into small beads of rice and set it aside.

Now lets start the Larb...

Serves 4-8

3lbs of lean minced (ground) beef

1 cup water

6 Tbsp fish sauce

Juice of 3-4 limes

6 green onions, chopped including green parts

3/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 of a red onion, chopped

2 Tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on your spice level, we use 3)

Have your red onion, green onion, mint and cilantro chopped and ready and set aside. Heat a large saute pan or wok on medium-high heat and add water. Once water starts to boil, add your ground beef. Once the beef is completely cooked, turn the heat off and add you lime juice, fish sauce, red onion, green onion, mint, cilantro, red pepper flakes and toasted rice and mix ingredients together.

You can have it over rice, lettuce or cabbage leaves, any type of raw veggie, or have it as a salad on top of chopped cabbage or lettuce. Garnish with lime and you're ready to eat! Enjoy!