S3 Laab Recipe

Name: KHON Thai Kitchen by Seedas S3 Laab Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 lb ground pork or ground chicken; 1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.75 cups fresh mint leaves; 0.5 cups cilantro leaves (stems tenderly included); 4 each green onions (scallions), thinly sliced; 0.5 each red onion, very finely sliced; 4 leaves fresh kaffir lime leaves (or regular lime zest if unavailable), thinly sliced; 3 tbs fresh lime juice; 2 tbs fish sauce; 1 tsp soy sauce (optional, for color/depth); 0.5 tsp granulated sugar or palm sugar; 2 tbs Thai roasted rice powder (khao khoua) or toasted ground jasmine rice; 2 tsp chopped fresh bird's eye chilies or red Thai chilies (adjust to taste); 8 each lettuce leaves or cabbage wedges; 0.5 each cucumber, sliced (optional); 2 each extra lime wedges

Inspired by KHON Thai Kitchen by Seeda

Time30m

Serves4

Option of ground pork or ground chicken, mint, green onion, cilantro, red onion, lime leaves mixed with lime juice sauce.

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Ingredients

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Protein & Marinade

1 lb ground pork or ground chicken

1 tbs neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

1 tsp kosher salt

Herbs & Aromatics

3/4 cups fresh mint leaves

1/2 cups cilantro leaves (stems tenderly included)

4 each green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

1/2 each red onion, very finely sliced

4 leaves fresh kaffir lime leaves (or regular lime zest if unavailable), thinly sliced

Dressing / Sauce

3 tbs Fresh lime juice

2 tbs Fish sauce

1 tsp soy sauce (optional, for color/depth)

1/2 tsp granulated sugar or palm sugar

2 tbs Thai roasted rice powder (khao khoua) or toasted ground jasmine rice

2 tsp chopped fresh bird's eye chilies or red Thai chilies (adjust to taste)

To Serve

8 each lettuce leaves or cabbage wedges

1/2 each cucumber, sliced (optional)

2 each extra lime wedges

Method

Protein & Cooking

Prepare and cook ground meat

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs neutral oil. When hot, add the ground pork or chicken, breaking it up with a spatula. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until cooked through and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes for pork or 5–7 minutes for chicken. Drain any excess liquid if necessary and transfer the cooked meat to a large bowl to cool slightly.

Dressing / Sauce

Make the lime-fish dressing

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbs fresh lime juice, 2 tbs fish sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce (optional), and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance — it should be bright, salty, and slightly sweet. Add the chopped chilies (about 2 tsp) and mix.

Prepare roasted rice powder (if not premade)

If you don't have Thai roasted rice powder, toast 1/3 cup jasmine rice in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to a coarse powder. Measure out 2 tbs for the recipe.

Assemble Laab

While the meat is still warm (but not piping hot), pour the dressing over the meat and toss to combine. The warm meat will absorb the flavors better.

Add 2 tbs roasted rice powder and toss again so the powder coats the meat and slightly thickens the juices.

Fold in the herbs and aromatics: 3/4 cup torn mint leaves, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, thinly sliced 4 green onions, 1/2 red onion (very thin), and finely sliced kaffir lime leaves. Toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice for acidity, or chilies for heat.

To Serve

Transfer the laab to a serving bowl and garnish with additional mint or cilantro if desired. Serve immediately with lettuce leaves or cabbage wedges and cucumber slices on the side for wrapping. Provide extra lime wedges for squeezing.