Lab, Lab or Larb?
larb
You can enter wonderfully Thailand food, but which dishes are typically Thai?
Compare it with the Netherlands: kale with sausage, sauerkraut with pork belly, pea soup, hutspot, poffertjes and undoubtedly we can list a few more dishes. When we go out for dinner, however, one of these specifically Dutch dishes will appear sporadically on the menu. We go to the Chinese, to an Argentinian restaurant, to the Italian or to a more French-oriented restaurant. Plenty of choice, but typically Dutch? No.
Of course you will also find foreign restaurants in Thailand. Especially in Bangkok and Pattaya you will find European, Chinese, Indian, Arabic and nowadays also Russian cuisine. Halal and kosher as well, and no doubt some other country or specialty.
Thai cuisine
In a large country like Thailand you have to distinguish between certain areas. The dishes from Isaan have their own more spicy taste. The north also has its own specialties. In the south, with the sea all around, fish play an important role. In general, certain farmed fish species as well as shrimp and crab are found throughout the country.
Nam Prik Ong
Typically Thai
In contrast to our country, you will find certain typical Thai dishes in almost every restaurant throughout Thailand. You can find the Tom Yam as a soup in a number of variations in every restaurant. Yam, a spicy salad as well, not to mention the Som Tam, a spicy papaya salad that is so beloved by many Thais. And speaking of spicy, what about Nam Prik, a dipping sauce of pureed fish and peppers. You will also find curry dishes in a wide variety. A delicious light lunch dish is Pad Thai and not to be missed are the various simple eateries where - written phonetically - Kwai Tiejouw, a tasty soup with meat and balls is served.
Unknown makes unloved
A dish that will be relatively unknown to many non-insiders is Lab, also written as Laab or Larb and pronounced as Laap. The dish comes in various versions with beef, pork, chicken, fish or vegetarian as the main ingredient. The main ingredient in question is cut into very small pieces and spicy seasoned. Together with a bowl of rice a delicious dish that you really have to try. And that applies to almost all dishes mentioned, because unknown makes unloved.
Dear Joseph, I think you are totally missing the point here. Find the Larb very poorly defined. This is really about the combination of fish sauce, lime, chili, rice powder mint, possibly coriander! I think it is really served with cucumber, white cabbage and beans. This is my favorite dish and nothing else can beat it for me. Fortunately, everyone has their own tastes. I always enjoy reading your posts about the food, but clearly not in this case, which I really regret!
You forgot the little pink shallots! And according to my Thai wife … never Koreander at a Laap … .
Normally, laab is minced meat: beef [that is only called “beef” in Dutch if it is a piece: steak], pork, chicken (but not two types mixed) with lime as the second important ingredient, but in the North they are replaced by spices, including “makyen” (which would be typical Thai), cumin and also koreander SEED.
There is also a fantasy 'laab talee' of various seafood and fish.
Laab from Lanna (northern Thailand) also uses “dipli” (dried 'long pepper' [Piper longum]), star anise, Sichuan pepper [citrus fruit of the Zanthoxylum], cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Typical for the also Northern 'laab loe' ('larb lu') is “phak phai” (so-called Vietnamese coriander or Cambodian mint [Persicaria odorata]).
What you describe here is larb Isaan. Here in Chiangmai they also eat larp, but that is often eaten completely raw. Usually it is buffalo or pork. That is very finely chopped and then salt chilies, parsley and "cansarot" and then they eat raw vegetables with it
Dear Kay,
I think the REGION is bound, regarding, the recipe.
In Bangkok I have eaten it in several places, and they all make it slightly different.
Chiang Mai is no different, just like Phuket Patong.
I agree that it should contain lime, and spicy of course.
I'm just saying like this; if it's good, then it's good, right?
Dear Joseph,
The delicious Laap muu is indeed a typical dish from Isaan. This certainly includes strips of white cabbage, soothing cucumber and raw beans, but people also forget that a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint are indispensable to soften the pungent taste. As far as I know, the Laap is not served with “a bowl of rice”, but preferably with a large bowl of sticky rice !!!
Unfortunately I have never seen a Laap vegetarian on a menu. But yes, the meat is expensive, and there are many Dutch expats, aren't they?
In any case, your article changed the freshly swallowed Singha taste in my palate to a nice feeling of "water is coming into my mouth".
Now quickly convince my baroness, and as lightning to a local eatery in Hua Hin to check which of us is right. The delicious Laab will stimulate the senses enough to pass the rest of the evening as a success.
The water baron thanks the Lord for Joseph's submission.
Actually, laab is a typical Laotian dish. That is why the laab from Isaan is very well known in Thailand, of course with a good dose of chili. Yet the word etymologically comes from Lanna and means minced meat. This can also be water buffalo or duck. Sometimes pieces of liver are mixed into the lab.
I think Mark Wiens always tells / shows it well and fun in YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elcphgkyYLY
Laap hmmmm for the first time ever tasted and immediately sold, always ask not too spicy
but even then it is sometimes quite spicy, especially if twelve types of peppers are used.
One of my favorite dishes.
It should also be remembered that laab nua dip also contains blood, bile, pieces of lung and liver. Delicious with sticky rice.
Actually, laap (with a falling tone) is a poor people's dish. It is usually made from what is left after the good meat has been cut away, and indeed with bits of liver, kidney, lung, heart or brain.
Above you write 'dip' , which is 'raw, uncooked' while 'souk' (with a low pitch) is cooked or lightly fried.
I see how the local Isan people prepare the larb on their wooden cutting boards and what kinds of meat / organs go in, sometimes still doused with fresh blood and uncooked.
The whole thing has made me decide not to participate in the festive meal.
Tastes differ.
I do eat the Thai fricandellen which have a great taste and may have some of the same ingredients.
Dear Joseph, it's a pity that most people cannot read, you clearly indicate that this dish can be made in many ways, including meat-chicken-fish, etc. and then certain people think you have to correct you?? I would say let everyone in their values and just eat what you like and be grateful for a tip like you gave!!, so dear joseph bon appetit and thanks for the tip!! ennehh let the cows moo bwv speak. greetings from a gourmet!
Delicious yes minced raw pork with blood and then of course many other ingredients. My in-laws love it. I…. no thank you raw pork with blood……..almost go over my neck. And to my comment: but raw pork does give you worms. was the answer, oh yes, but there are pills for that that you use once in a while. So for me only Laam if it is baked and cooked.
A Thai teacher once asked me to name my favorite authentic Thai dishes.
I enthusiastically enumerated the usual dishes, she started to laugh…
Turns out that verl dishes are not original Thai at all.
Kuay Tiau (noodle soup) and Gai Pat Met Ma-muang (chicken with cashew nuts) come from China
All curries come from India
Foy Tong (a kind of golden sweet dessert) comes from Portugal
And so she had a few more, in the end we didn't have much left over what was really Thai
My (ex) brother-in-law in Isaan always called Laab “Dracula” because it was indeed raw beef.
Ate at the time, but quickly stopped because of possible side effects 😉
In Kao Takiab (next to Hua Hin) I have been taking the most fantastic Laab Beef with vegetables and sticky rice separately for more than 10 years. Made with love on the spot. Really super and unsurpassed there! (And I've really tried everywhere)
Thailand and LAAB enthusiast for 15 years.
Larb
is indeed written as LAAB and therefore pronounced
forget those bad translations to phonetic English….
chicken = KAI
but for the english they write GAI….
to laugh….
LAAB
got to know LAAB TOHD for about 2 years..
fried laab balls
DELICIOUS!!!!
must try