Around here, we have a major love for Thai food. From pad thai to pad kee mao to papaya salad and larb, which is the inspiration for this Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe.
The adoration of Thai food is unsurprising since my hometown of Los Angeles has the largest Thai population outside of Asia and is home to the world’s first Thai Town.
There are a lot of reasons to love Thailand but, obviously, we always come back to Thai food. We are lucky enough to have renowned spots like the spot-on Southern Thai food at Jitlada, the classic noodle spot that is Pa Ord, the updated staple Tuk tuk Thai, and the contemporary spot of Night + Market.
And when it comes to the food we’re partial to the classic meat salad known as larb. This Northern Thai dish was all over the Northern Thai region of Isaan when I visited and each place made its own version.
What Is Larb Moo?
After spending a week running around the Isaan region of Thailand, one thing was certain: the region has some of the best food around.
It’s home to all sorts of bold, spicy food, one of which—larb, a sort of ground meat salad—is my standard order whenever I go to Thai restaurants. It is one of those dishes that, at its best, hit all of the major Thai flavors: sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and funky.
Variations On Larb Thai Pork Salad
While in Isaan, I had versions made with pork, beef, and duck and one was better than the next.
But, to make it a weeknight-friendly dish, we’re sharing a basic recipe for larb that is more of a Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe.
Often, I serve in lettuce as a makeshift lettuce wrap (which is not traditional!), but feel free to make it more spicy, sour, sweet, or funky to fit your tastes.
Make It Traditional
Just FYI, to be totally traditional, you’d mix toasted ground rice into the final dish. If you’re so inclined, go for it, but we have to say we like it just as is.
Healthy Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Oh, and this version is healthier than most and easy enough that you could make it for a weeknight meal.
But, if you’re like us, you’ll likely be making it for everything from a girls’ night to your next dinner party because it’s got tons of flavor and is pretty healthy.
Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
{Larb Moo} Chicken Thai Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Ingredients
For The Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 3 serrano or Thai chile sliced (optional)
For The Onions:
- 1 tablespoon coconut, grapeseed, or peanut oil
- 4 medium shallots quartered and thinly sliced
- 6 medium green onions (aka scallions) trimmed and thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 inches galangal or ginger peeled and grated
- 4 medium garlic cloves peeled and grated
For The Meat:
- 1 pound lean ground chicken can use ground pork or turkey
- 1 teaspoon ground chile powder or 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce
- kosher salt
To Serve:
- 1 kaffir lime leaf minced (optional)
- 1/3 cup fresh mint (or culantro or cilantro or a mix) plus more for garnish
- 1 head Romaine, Red Lettuce, or Boston lettuce washed and separated
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Make The Sauce: Combine the fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, sugar, and a few Thai chiles (if using) in a small jar, close, and shake until the sugar is dissolved. (You could also whisk this – just make sure that sugar is well mixed in.) Taste the sauce and, if you want it fresher and brighter and less funky, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice.3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- Cook The Onions: Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add shallots and the white parts of the green onions (save the green parts for later) and cook, stirring a few times, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add galangal or ginger and garlic and cook a few seconds until fragrant.1 tablespoon coconut, grapeseed, or peanut oil, 4 medium shallots, 6 medium green onions (aka scallions), 2 inches galangal, 4 medium garlic cloves
- Cook The Meat: Add pork, chicken or turkey and, use a wooden spoon or spatula, to break the meat into bite-sized pieces. Season with chile powder, chile sauce (if using), and some kosher salt and cook, stirring rarely, until meat is cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sauce ingredients and cook until there's only enough left to coat the meat mixture, about 1 minute more.1 pound lean ground chicken, 1 teaspoon ground chile powder, kosher salt
- To Serve: Remove from heat, stir in remaining scallions, kaffir lime, and the herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve hot or cold, filling each lettuce cups with a few spoonfuls of filling. Top with additional herbs and lime wedges, as desired.1/3 cup fresh mint, 1 head Romaine, Red Lettuce, or Boston lettuce, Lime wedges, 1 kaffir lime leaf
