Laab Moo (Minced Pork Salad)

Minced pork salad may not immediately sound like the most tempting dish but bear with me. Laab is a typical Northern Thai dish and it originally came from (and is still very popular) in neighbouring Laos. It is regularly served up with my favourite Som Tam (papaya salad) . My version is a somewhat soft option; in Thailand, this dish is often served with coagulated chicken blood on the side. It is just as common, if not even more likely that you’ll find this made with chicken (gai) instead.

For two people use:

• about half a packet of pork mince (300g) or 2 small chicken breasts/ 4-6 chicken thighs (minced with heavy blade)


• a big handful of bamboo shoots or water chestnuts, sliced thin


• a small onion, cut in thin slices


• 2 stalks lemongrass, very finely chopped (most supermarkets sell it)


• a chunky piece of galangal, very finely chopped (some supermarkets sell it)


• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped


• 3 or 4 birds eye chillies chopped


• a heaped dessert spoon of rice


• a big splash of nam pla (Thai fish sauce) easy to buy in supermarkets


• a splash of chicken stock


• a handful of mint leaves


• juice of 1 lime


• vegetable oil for frying


• cucumber slices, lime wedge, chillies for decoration

Start off by dry frying the spoonful of rice in a wok or frying pan. Toast it until it starts to go light brown and smells nutty then take it off the heat quickly before it burns and in a pestle and mortar, grind it into a fine powder- set it aside,

Heat oil in a wok, when it’s hot add the onion and cook gently until they take on some colour, add in the garlic, chillies, onion and galangal and stir fry for a minute or so. Now add in the meat and cook it well until there’s no sign of rawness left. Break the meat up as you go. Throw in the bamboo shoots or water chestnuts and cook for a few more minutes. Liquids go in next, the fish sauce, lime juice and chicken stock. Reduce this down for a minute or two before adding in the powdered rice which helps to thicken everything. Finally, turn the heat off and immediately before serving, put in the mint leaves. Thai basil is also very good instead.

Serve with rice, cucumber and if you like the heat, extra chillies on top