Pork Larb

 

This version of a Pork Larb is reasonably quick and simple to make but it does involve some pre work in terms of chopping etc.  If you are wondering why I haven't included quantities of the spices/seasonings, it's not just because I don't measure them out, it is because everyone's palate is a little different.  What I am looking for in this dish is a balance between sour, sweet, salty and heat (chili).  Just add a little of each at a time until it feels right when you taste it.

 

Here are the ingredients:

Pork mince (ground pork)

Vegetable oil plus a few drops of sesame oil

Red onion (chopped)

Garlic (finely chopped or grated)

Fresh ginger (you can use frozen straight from the freezer and grate it)

Fresh red chili pepper (hot) or dried red chillies that have been soaked in hot water

Lemon juice

Kecap Manis (a sweet soy sauce)

Fish sauce (essential to get the proper flavour as well as saltiness)

Brown sugar or palm sugar

Homemade pork broth

Chopped basil

Brazil nuts (chopped and added as a garnish) along with some sesame seeds

Lemon wedges to serve

A cup of lettuce to serve the larb in - I mean a whole lettuce leaf from the outside of a head of lettuce that curls round to form a neat little container for the larb. 

 

To cook it just fry the pork mince in the oil until a bit brown.  Then add your onion and seasonings.  Continue to fry until cooked (no more than 10 minutes)

 

Add your broth and remaining ingredients, heat through and serve with your nut garnish and lemon wedge in a lettuce cup.  You could serve rice on the side but I often don't.