''Larb'' ( lo, ລາບ; th, ลาบ, , , also spelled ', ', ' or ') is a type of Lao meat salad that is the
national dish
A national dish is a culinary dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons:
* It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs that can be ...
of
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
, along with
green papaya salad
Green papaya salad ( km, បុកល្ហុង, lo, ຕຳຫມາກຫຸ່ງ and th, ส้มตำ) is a spicy salad made from shredded unripe papaya. It was possibly created by the Lao people but is eaten throughout Continental ...
and
sticky rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose ...
. Larb is also eaten in other Southeast Asian countries where the Lao have migrated and extended their influence. Local variants of ''larb'' also feature in the cuisines of the
Tai peoples
Tai peoples are the populations who speak (or formerly spoke) the Tai languages. There are a total of about 93 million people of Tai ancestry worldwide, with the largest ethnic groups being Dai, Thais, Isan, Tai Yai (Shan), Lao, Tai Ahom, an ...
of
Shan State
Shan State ( my, ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်, ; shn, မိူင်းတႆး, italics=no) also known by the Endonym and exonym, endonyms Shanland, Muang Tai, and Tailong, is a administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. ...
, Burma, and
Yunnan Province
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
, China.
History
Étienne François Aymonier, who visited Laos in 1883, described larb as a favorite dish of Lao people - a mixture of chopped onions or scallions, lemongrass leaves, fermented fish and chili mixed with fresh and boiled fish. The dish was eaten with steam-cooked sticky rice. Another French visitor, doctor Estrade, who arrived in 1893, described larb as a Lao main dish made with boiled fish, chili and ground roasted sticky rice.
Depending on the method of preparation, it may be known by different names, including ''nam tok, goi/saa, yum/sua,'' and can be made with beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, fish, pork, shrimp, game meat, mushroom or even algae. Larb can be served
raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
, which is known as ''larb diip'' (raw) or ''aharn suer'' (tiger food), or cooked, and usually served with a soup made with the bones of the meat being used.
Historically, larb dishes were more common to aristocrats and traditional recipes for larb served to Laotian royalty are in a collection of handwritten recipes from
Phia Sing
Chaleunsilp Phia Sing (Luang Prabang, c. 1898–1967) was a royal chef and master of ceremonies to the kings of Laos, and in this capacity he worked at the Royal Palace in Luang Prabang. He was also, according to Alan Davidson, "physician, archit ...
(1898-1967), royal chef and master of ceremonies. Larb is considered to be an auspicious and lucky dish because traditionally meat was not readily available, and most Laotians would normally eat larb at special occasions, such as wedding, New Year celebrations and festivals. Many Laotians will bless their family and guests with a meal consisting of larb for luck and good fortune. During the New Year celebration, many Lao families believe that eating larb on day one of the three-day celebration will bring good fortune for the rest of the year.
Prior to the collapse of the monarchy, in Laotian high society, servants were never allowed to prepare the best and most delicate dishes. The women of Laotian high society considered it an honorable task and great opportunity to display their culinary talents to prepare larb for their esteemed guests. Among ordinary Laotians, when preparing larb, housewives would prepare the ingredients in separate containers as a ''
mise en place
''Mise en place'' () is a French culinary phrase which means "putting in place" or "gather". It refers to the setup required before cooking, and is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., c ...
'', leaving the final honor of mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl to the head of the household. As tradition goes, the head of the family would start with malaxating the mincemeat - softening and incorporating it with a cupful of stock from the soup, then adding the toasted ground rice, pepper powder, garlic, salt,
padaek
Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) ( th, ปลาแดก), similar to pla ra in Thailand ( th, ปลาร้า), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cure ...
sauce and finally chopped aromatics before serving.
Types
Lao style
In Laos, depending on how the dish is prepared, it may be known by different names, including ''nam tok, goi/saa, yum/sua.'' Modern ''larb'' is most often made with
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
,
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus'').
In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantity ...
,
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
,
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
,
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
or
mushrooms
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the na ...
, flavored with
fish sauce
Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, P ...
,
lime juice
A lime (from French ''lime'', from Arabic ''līma'', from Persian ''līmū'', "lemon") is a citrus fruit, which is typically round, green in color, in diameter, and contains acidic juice vesicles.
There are several species of citrus trees ...
,
padaek
Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) ( th, ปลาแดก), similar to pla ra in Thailand ( th, ปลาร้า), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cure ...
, roasted ground rice and fresh herbs. The meat can be either
raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
or cooked; it is
minced
Mincing is a food preparation technique in which food ingredients are finely divided into uniform pieces. Minced food is in smaller pieces than diced or chopped foods, and is often prepared with a chef's knife or food processor, or in the case of ...
mint
MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAES g ...
vegetable
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...
s according to personal preference. The dish is served at room temperature and usually with a serving of
sticky rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose ...
and raw or fresh vegetables.
Traditionally, beef larb will only contain offal, bile, and all of the other ingredients without lime juice. Fish and shrimp larb are also traditionally absent lime juice but incorporate minced galangal. Compared to other larb, fish and shrimp larb does required an extra step. The deboned fish filet, or shrimp is minced, then pounded in a mortar and pestle until it turns to a gluey paste. Padaek juice is carefully add to the mixture, and stirred to a desired consistency, before finishing off with the finely chopped galangal and other aromatic herbs.
* Nam tok: ''Nam tok'' ( lo, ນ້ຳຕົກ, th, น้ำตก) is a Lao and Thai word meaning '
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...
'. The name is derived either from the dripping of the meat juices during the grilling or from the juices running out of the
medium rare
Doneness is a gauge of how thoroughly cooked a cut of meat is based on its color, juiciness, and internal temperature. The gradations are most often used in reference to beef (especially steaks and roasts) but are also applicable to other typ ...
beef as it is sliced. It refers to a popular Lao meat dish in both Laos and
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
, where it is commonly known as ''ping sin nam tok'' (Laos) or ''nuea yang nam tok'' (Thailand). This dish can be regarded as a variation on the standard ''larb'', and is made from barbecued pork or beef, usually the neck, which is sliced in bite-size pieces. The meat is then brought to a boil with some stock to create sauce. The heat is turned off, and then sliced shallots, ground roasted rice, chili powder, lime juice, and fish sauce are added, along with shredded coriander leaves, spring onions and mint leaves.
* Goi/Saa: ''Goi'' ( lo, ກ້ອຍ), ''Saa ( lo, ສ້າ)'' is a larb-like dish with the meat sliced thinly, rather than minced.'' ''In
Luang Prabang
Luang Phabang, ( Lao: ຫລວງພະບາງ/ ຫຼວງພະບາງ) or ''Louangphabang'' (pronounced ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) ...
and northern Laos this method of preparation is referred to as ''saa'', whereas in
Vientiane
Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
and southern Laos it is known as ''goi''. Raw ''goi'' or ''saa'' made with the freshest and highest quality fish is served to the most honored guests because it is the most delicate and complicated dish to prepare. A properly made ''goi'' or ''saa'' requires great knife skills and talent. The raw fish is filleted, deboned and sliced. The fish is then left to soak in a marinade consisting of saltwater brine and lime juice for 2 up to a maximum of 15 minutes depending on preference. This denaturing of the proteins “cooks” the fish much like the Latin American dish ceviche. Once marinated, the meat is squeezed until dry to remove the excess liquid. The left-over marinade from the fish is then combined with
padaek
Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) ( th, ปลาแดก), similar to pla ra in Thailand ( th, ปลาร้า), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cure ...
and brought to a boil before being left to cool to form a sauce. When everything is ready, the fish is mixed with the sauce, roasted rice powder, pepper flakes, and finely chopped aromatic herbs, such as fennel, galangal, lemongrass, Laotian parsley, shallot, green onions, and mint. The mixture can further be seasoned with more salt or lime to taste. The final dish is a pale pink fish salad with green aromatics and always served with the soup stock of the fish bone, fresh vegetables and sticky rice. A similar dish exists in Vietnam known as'' bo tai chanh.''
* Yum/Sua: Another style more ancient, which was popular amongst the aristocrats and served to Lao royalty is ''yum ga''i ''tom (boiled chicken)'' or ''sua gai (chicken)''. The recipes for the royal ''yum gai tom'' is found in Phia Sing’s writing. ''Yum gai tom'' or ''sua gai'' is prepared by boiling a whole chicken with lemongrass, ginger, and kefir lime leaves. Once the chicken is cooked, the meat is removed from the carcass and chopped or shredded. Added to this are chopped cucumbers and tomatoes (optional), chili peppers, half-roasted shallots and garlic, and toasted rice powder. Broth is added to moisten, along with lime juice, and fish sauce. Pepper and salt are added to taste. It is finished with spring onions on top and coriander to garnish.
Tai Nyuan/Lan Na style
The ''larb'' from
northern Thailand
Northern Thailand, or more specifically Lanna, is geographically characterised by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them. Though like most of Thailand ...
, ''larb Lan Na'', is different from the internationally more well-known Lao style ''larb''. The northern Thai ''larb'' of the Tai Nyuan/Khon Muang (
northern Thai people
The Northern Thai people or Tai Yuan ( th, ไทยวน, ), self-designation ''khon mu(e)ang'' ( nod, , คนเมือง meaning "people of the (cultivated) land" or "people of our community") are a Tai ethnic group, native to eight pr ...
) does not contain fish sauce and is not sour, as neither lime juice nor any other souring agent is used. Instead, the northern Thai version uses a mix of dried spices as flavoring and seasoning which includes ingredients such as
cloves
Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, s ...
,
long pepper
Long pepper (''Piper longum''), sometimes called Indian long pepper or ''thippali'', is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Long pepper has a taste simil ...
,
star anise
''Illicium verum'' is a medium-sized evergreen tree native to northeast Vietnam and southwest China. A spice commonly called star anise, staranise, star anise seed, star aniseed, star of anise, Chinese star anise, or badian that closely resembl ...
cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...
amongst others, derived from the location of northern Thailand's
Lan Na
The Lan Na Kingdom ( nod, , , "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields"; th, อาณาจักรล้านนา, , ), also known as Lannathai, and most commonly called Lanna or Lanna Kingdom, was an Indianized state centered in present-day ...
Kingdom on one of the spice routes to China, in addition to ground dried chillies, and, in the case of ''larb'' made with pork or chicken, the blood of the animal. The dish can be eaten raw (''larb dip''), but also after it has been stir-fried for a short time (''larb suk''). If blood is omitted from the preparation of the stir-fried version, the dish is called ''larb khua'' ( th, ลาบคั่ว). There is also a kind of ''larb'' called ''larb luat'' ( lo, ລາບເລືອດ) or ''lu'' ( th, หลู้). This dish is made with minced raw pork or beef, raw blood, kidney, fat and bile, and mixed with spices, crispy fried onions, fresh herbs and other ingredients. ''Larb'' and its other variations are served with an assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs, and eaten with
glutinous rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose ...
. This version of ''larb'' is thought to have originated in the town of
Phrae
Phrae (; ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Phrae Province.
The town occupies ''tambon'' Nai Wiang of Mueang Phrae District. It has an area of nine kilometres2 and a population of 17,971 (2005). Phrae is 555 km no ...
, in northern Thailand. This style of ''larb'' can also be found in parts of northern Laos.
Health risks of consuming raw
The risks from eating raw meat include contracting
trichinosis
Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a parasitic disease caused by roundworms of the ''Trichinella'' type. During the initial infection, invasion of the intestines can result in diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Migration of larv ...
, caused by an infectious worm, along with fatal bacterial or potentially
rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vi ...
infection.
The consumption of raw ''larb'' and ''lu'' made with raw pork has led to several cases of human ''
Streptococcus suis
''Streptococcus suis'' is a peanut-shaped, Gram-positive bacterium, and an important pathogen of pigs. Endemic in nearly all countries with an extensive pig industry, ''S. suis'' is also a zoonotic disease, capable of transmission to humans from ...
'' infections in Thailand, some of them with a deadly result.
The consumption of raw
freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...
fish can lead to an infection by ''
Opisthorchis viverrini
''Opisthorchis viverrini'', common name Southeast Asian liver fluke, is a food-borne trematode parasite from the family Opisthorchiidae that infects the bile duct. People are infected after eating raw or undercooked fish. Infection with the par ...
flatworm
The flatworms, flat worms, Platyhelminthes, or platyhelminths (from the Greek πλατύ, ''platy'', meaning "flat" and ἕλμινς (root: ἑλμινθ-), ''helminth-'', meaning "worm") are a phylum of relatively simple bilaterian, unsegment ...
that can live for many years inside the human liver. Northern Thailand, where certain fishes are consumed fermented, has the highest recorded rate of medically untreatable
cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer, is a type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts. Symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma may include abdominal pain, yellowish skin, weight loss, generalized itching, and fever. Light colored stool ...
Cuisine of Laos
Lao cuisine or Laotian cuisine ( lo, ອາຫານລາວ) is the national cuisine of Laos.
The staple food of the Lao is sticky rice ( lo, ເຂົ້າໜຽວ, khao niao). Laos has the highest sticky rice consumption per-capita i ...
*
Koi (dish)
''Koi'' ( lo, ກ້ອຍ; th, ก้อย, ) is a "salad" dish of the Lao people living in modern-day Laos and Isan, Thailand, consisting of raw meat denatured by acidity, usually from lime juice. Common varieties include ''koi kung'' ( th, ...
List of meat dishes
This is a list of notable meat dishes. Some meat dishes are prepared using two or more types of meat, while others are only prepared using one type. Furthermore, some dishes can be prepared using various types of meats, such as the enchilada, whic ...
*
List of salads
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; long beans; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They often include vegetables and fruits. ...
*
Thai salads
Salads that are internationally known as Thai salads with a few exceptions fall into four main preparation methods. In Thai cuisine these are called ''yam, tam, lap'' and ''phla''. A few other dishes can also be regarded as being a salad.
Overvi ...