Larb Moo

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Set a large frying pan over medium-high heat. If your cauliflower is not yet riced, grate it on the coarse side of a box grater or pulse briefly in a food processor until it resembles rice; keep the pieces fairly even so they cook quickly.

   300 g cauliflower, riced
2. 2

   Cook the cauliflower rice: add the neutral oil to the hot pan, then add the cauliflower and salt. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until just tender but not wet or mushy. Transfer to serving bowls and keep warm.

   10 ml neutral oil300 g cauliflower, riced1 g salt
3. 3

   In the same pan over high heat, add the pork mince and water. Break the meat up well with a spatula and cook for 4-5 minutes until no pink remains and the juices have mostly evaporated. Breaking it up finely gives larb its characteristic crumbly texture.

   300 g pork mince30 ml water
4. 4

   Turn off the heat. While the pork is still hot, stir in the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, toasted rice powder, sliced shallot, chilli, spring onions, and coriander leaves. Toss well so the shallot softens slightly from the residual heat. Taste and adjust with a little more lime or fish sauce if needed; the flavor should be bright, salty, and punchy.

   22 ml fish sauce30 ml fresh lime juice6 g toasted rice powder40 g shallot, thinly sliced5 g fresh red chilli, finely sliced20 g spring onions, thinly sliced10 g coriander leaves
5. 5

   Fold in the mint leaves at the end so they stay fresh and fragrant rather than bruised.

   10 g mint leaves
6. 6

   Spoon the larb over the cauliflower rice. Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra mint leaves for squeezing and scattering over at the table.

   1 lime (about 60 g) lime wedges5 g extra mint leaves

Origin & History

Larb is a well-known dish from Laos and northeastern Thailand, especially the Isan region, where minced meat is seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, herbs, and toasted rice powder. Larb moo, the pork version, is one of the most popular variations and is commonly eaten with fresh vegetables or sticky rice. This adaptation swaps in cauliflower rice to suit low-carb eating while keeping the classic flavor profile.