Thai Salad with Lamb

This salad and others like it are called larb or laab in Thailand; I find them among the most flavorful salads in the world.

Mint

I make this version most often with lamb or goat because both are raised here in Sonoma County where I live.

Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredients list. Once you’ve made it a time or two, you’ll be able to prepare it easily and quickly, without even referring to the recipe.

  • Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 carrot, preferably Nantes, cut into thin julienne
  • 1 Armenian or English cucumber, cut into matchstick-sized julienne
  • 1/2 small red onion, cut into very thin slices
  • 2 green onions, white parts only, very thinly sliced
  • 1 serrano, seeded and very thinly sliced
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, preferably spearmint, torn into pieces
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 5 to 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 or 2 serranos, seeded and minced
  • 1 fresh lemongrass stalk, bulb only, cut into thin rounds, optional
  • 1 teaspoon peanut or sesame oil
  • 1 ½ pounds ground lamb
  • 1 tablespoon toasted and ground dried galanga
  • 4 tablespoons fish sauce (nahm bplah), plus more as needed
  • Juice of 3 limes, plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoons sugar, if needed
  • 2 tablespoons ground toasted rice (available at Asian markets)
  • Mint, cilantro and Thai basil sprigs, for garnish

Directions

  1. Put the cabbage, carrot, cucumber, red onion, green onion, sliced serrano, mint leaves and cilantro leaves into a bowl, toss and set aside.

  2. Put the garlic into a suribachi or large mortar, sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and use a wood pestle to begin to crush it into a paste. Add the shallot, minced serranos and lemongrass, if using, and continue to crush and grind until fairly smooth. Set aside.

  3. Pour the peanut oil into a wok, set over high heat, add the lamb and cook, stirring constantly, until it loses its raw color. Remove from the heat and fold in the garlic mixture and the galanga. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and taste, adding more fish sauce and more lime juice until there is a good balance of acid and salt. If the flavors don’t quite come together or if the mixture tastes flat, add the sugar and toss thoroughly. Add the toasted rice and toss again.

  4. Working quickly, divide the cabbage mixture among large soup plates or other large plate and top with the lamb mixture and all of the juices that have collected in the wok.

  5. Garnish with herb sprigs and serve at once.

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