Thai Pork Salad (Lahp)
This Thai Pork Salad recipe is pronounced "Lawb". It means "good fortune" and that auspicious name makes this hot and spicy meat dish great for special occasions.Note: You can change the number of people served by placing your cursor over "Servings". The Ingredients will adjust to the new number of servings you desire.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 pound Ground pork, beef or chicken
- 8 green beans trimmed and halved crosswise
- Juice from 1/4 of a lemon
- 1/2 cup shallots coarsely chopped
- 3 tbsp green onion finely sliced on the bias
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 3 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp dried red chili coarsely ground
- 1/2 teas sugar
- A few lettuce leaves
- 1 small cabbage, sliced into 4 wedges about 2 inches wide at the widest point
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the pork and cook for a couple of minutes, tossing often to break up the meat and cook it through fairly evenly. When meat is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a medium bowl, leaving most of the liquid behind.
- In a small pot with 1 cup of water, squeeze in the 1/4 lemon juice and add the green beans. Cook for about 10 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and reserve.
- Stir in the shallot, green onion, cilantro and most of the mint, reserving few leaves for a garnish. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, chili and sugar; stir to combine everything well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed for a pleasing balance of sour, salty and hot.
- Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves and mound meat mixture in the center. Garnish with the cabbage wedges, the reserved green beans and the reserved mint. Serve at once.
Notes
Note: Lahp has more flavor if it is made with coarsely ground meat. Ask butcher for coarse grind or chili grind or cut the meat into large chunks and then chop it with a Chinese cleaver.
