delicious. – March 2010, Page 102.
Photography by Ian Wallace.

Chicken Larb Gai with mint and basil is a Thai-inspired dish that is perfect for those midweek dinners when you want something quick, easy and light. It doesn’t need oil, so the meat has a lovely light, un-fried quality to it. Served with rice, it’s a satisfying main meal.

Ingredients

• 150ml salt-reduced chicken stock
• 500g chicken mince – you could also use pork mince if you’d like
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 5cm piece ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, cut into matchsticks
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbs lime juice, plus extra lime wedges to serve
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 small butter lettuce, leaves separated
• 2 tbs roughly chopped salted peanuts

Method

1. Heat the chicken stock in a wok or large frypan over medium-high heat,  add the mince, fish sauce and ginger. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until the meat has browned and cooked through. It might stick at first, but keep stirring!
2. Add the chilli and sugar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
3. Add the lime juice and most of the mint, basil and coriander to the warm mince mixture, then gently fold through, allowing the herbs to wilt. Taste and adjust the lime juice, fish sauce and salt to your liking.
4. Arrange the cucumber and lettuce leaves on 4 serving plates. Use a slotted spoon to pile the larb gai over the top. Scatter with the peanuts and the remaining mint, basil and coriander, then serve with the lime wedges.

Enjoy!

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