Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Larb Gai - Laotian Spicy Chicken Mix


Larb Gai with lettuce and cucumber

I apologize as I waited so long to post this easy recipe!

As a favorite traditional food as many birthday parties and get togethers, this dish is an easy fix. It takes longer to prep than anything but it well worth the effort once its complete. This version is a chicken version as there are many version from beef to pork just adding and mixing according to the likes and dislikes of individuals.

Tradition has it with many different innards from the animals sliced / diced up small and mixed with basic Larb ingredients, so depending on availability you can create it with just the basic ground of your preferred meat.

For my chicken larb recipe, I prefer the different textures from gizzards, liver and skin of the chicken in addition to the ground chicken.

You will need the following (as for this and other recipes amounts are not specific as dishes are usually mixed then adjusted as individual taste differs):

thinly sliced kaffir leaves
meat:
1 pkg of ground chicken or turkey
1 pkg of chicken thighs
1 container / pkg of chicken livers
1 container / pkg of chicken gizzards

herbs:
mint
green onion (scallions)
chili peppers
cilantro(coriander)
kaffir lime leaves (optional)
lemon grass  (optional)
Thinly sliced lemon grass


spices:
fish sauce (2 tbsp)
chicken broth (powder mix)
roasted rice powder (1 tsp) (instructions below)
dried pepper (optional for added spice)
lime juice (1-2 limes depending on flavor)


 How to make roasted rice powder:

In a skillet with low flame, mix rice slowly as the rice is roasted. Keep in mind not to mix too much in the beginning to allow it to turn brown color. Once the pan is hot the rice will roast quicker, then you would mix more. Do not burn rice but do not disregard if there is a little burning. Rice powder can be gray (from the charcoaled / over burned rice) or light brown. Once the rice is cooled either pound in a mortar or blend in a blender until it is a fine powder. This can also be bought in a local asian grocery store.



Prepare the meat by cooking the ground meat in a skillet then draining. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and place in boiling water to cook it thoroughly, then cut and thinly slice into small strips. Boil liver and gizzards, separately as liver will cook quicker. Do not over cook liver as it will get tough. Once gizzards are cooked slice into small thin pieces and do the same with the livers putting each ingredient in small bowls to be mixed later.

Prepare the herbs, this can be done while the meats are cooking. Thinly slice all the herbs, except the cilantro (coriander) can be chopped. Mix all together in a bowl for later except for the chili peppers, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves to be in separated bowls.

Once you have all your ingredients, in a big mixing bowl put in the ground chicken, gizzards, sliced skin leaving out the livers as it will be added last. Add the spices, sliced chili peppers and lime juice. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Taste and adjust the flavor now. You should taste all the spices harmoniously with a bit of tang from the lime. If it is not slightly tangy add more lime juice. It should not taste plain, if so add more fish sauce and chicken broth powder. I tend to make it slightly salty as the herbs will change the taste. Once the taste is to your liking fold in the liver and the herbs.Adding the herbs will give it a different taste, fresher taste. Voila!

This can be served with lettuce and cucumber with jasmine rice.

Bon apetit!

Bay Nan