An authentic Northern Thai dish made from ground pork cooked with a distinctive spice blend featuring cumin, coriander, Sichuan peppercorns, and other aromatic spices. Unlike the well-known northeastern version, this northern style laab is intensely flavored and is traditionally eaten by hand with fresh vegetables and sticky rice.
Cumin seedsToast separately before mixing with other spices~1 tbspest.
Coriander seeds~1 tbspest.
Sichuan peppercornsUsed as a substitute for the herb mchen~1 tspest.
Fennel seeds~1 tspest.
Cinnamon~½ tspest.
Bay leaves~2est.
Cloves~3-4est.
Star anise
~1est.
White cardamom~½ tspest.
Black pepper~½ tspest.
Nutmeg~¼ tspest.
Long pepperOptional if unavailable~½ tspest.
Dried chiliesToast and grind separately; adjust heat level to taste~3-4est.
Ground pork~1 lbest.
Pork liverChopped into small pieces; optional~4-5 ozest.
Fish sauce~3 tbspest.
WaterTo help spices incorporate into the meat~¼ cupsest.
OilFor making fried garlic and cooking the meat~3 tbspest.
GarlicSome for fried garlic, some for cooking~6-8 clovesest.
Shallots~4-5est.
Lemongrass~2 stalksest.
GalangalOptional~2 tbspest.
Mint leaves~¼ cupsest.
Cilantro~¼ cupsest.
Green onions~3-4 stalksest.
Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)Has a distinctive smell; optional if unavailable~¼ cupsest.
Crispy fried shallotsStore-bought is acceptable~3 tbspest.
Sticky riceTraditional Northern Thai accompaniment; not interchangeable with jasmine rice~2 cupsest.
CabbageAsian-style cabbage preferred; served as accompaniment~½ headest.
CarrotsServed as fresh accompaniment~2est.
CucumbersServed as fresh accompaniment~2est.
Long beansServed as fresh accompaniment~1 cupest.
Crispy pork rindServed as accompaniment~¼ cupsest.
Steps
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1
Toast the cumin seeds separately over medium heat, stirring frequently until fragrant and lightly darkened with occasional popping. Remove from heat.
2
Toast the remaining whole spices together over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the coriander and fennel seeds darken and pop. Grind finely in a spice grinder.
3
Toast dried chilies separately until aromatic and grind into a fine powder. Keep the chili powder separate from the spice mix so you can adjust the heat level for different diners.
4
Combine the ground spices and chili powder in a bowl. Add water and fish sauce, mixing well until the liquid helps distribute the spices evenly.
5
Add the ground pork to a mixing bowl and pour the spiced liquid over it. Use your hands to knead and massage the pork thoroughly, ensuring the spice mixture is evenly distributed throughout.
6
Chop pork liver into small pieces and mix into the seasoned pork. This step is optional; omit if you prefer not to use offal.
7
Heat a small pot with a little oil. Add one piece of garlic as a temperature tester. Once it begins to bubble, add the remaining minced garlic. Keep the heat low and stir frequently until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Strain through a metal sieve, reserving both the fried garlic and the garlic oil.
8
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of fried garlic oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallots, lemongrass, and galangal, allowing them to brown lightly.
9
Add the seasoned ground pork and cook until done. Break up the meat vigorously with a spatula, ensuring no lumps remain. The traditional hand-minced style should be very fine and crumbly.
10
Cook until the meat has a small amount of liquid remaining. If there is too much liquid, increase the heat briefly to reduce it. The finished texture should be moist but not swimming in liquid.
11
Add cilantro, Vietnamese coriander, and green onions. Do not add mint at this point as it will turn black instantly in the heat. Mix well.
12
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fresh mint leaves, fried garlic, fried shallots, and extra fresh herbs on the side.
13
Serve with fresh crisp vegetables (cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, long beans, pork rind) and sticky rice on the side. To eat, pinch off a small ball of sticky rice, add some laab and fresh herbs, compress into a firmer ball, and eat by hand. Can also be served in lettuce wraps.
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