Tofu Larb Recipe

Press and cube tofu

Press the firm tofu between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel under a weight for 15–30 minutes to remove excess water. Pat dry and cut into 1–1.5 cm cubes.

Make marinade

In a bowl combine soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, minced shallot and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

Marinate tofu

Gently toss tofu cubes in the marinade to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes (or up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator) so flavors penetrate.

Pan-fry tofu

Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated tofu cubes in a single layer (reserve excess marinade). Fry undisturbed 3–4 minutes until golden, then flip and brown other sides 3–4 minutes. Remove tofu to a plate.

Crumble tofu

Using a spatula or fork, roughly crumble the browned tofu into coarse pieces (aim for bite-sized crumbles that mimic minced meat). Return to the pan and add reserved marinade; cook 1–2 minutes more to evaporate excess liquid and allow tofu to absorb flavor. Taste and season with up to 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Prepare cucumbers and long beans

Slice the cucumber on the diagonal into 3–5 mm pieces (or half-moons). Trim long beans and cut into 2–3 cm lengths. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil, blanch long beans for 30–45 seconds until bright green and tender-crisp, then immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Slice shallots

Thinly slice the 2 small shallots. If you prefer milder shallot flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Prepare lettuces and herbs

Separate baby gem lettuce leaves into cups and wash/dry thoroughly. Stack and thinly chiffonade shiso leaves. Roughly chop mint, cilantro and rau ram and keep roughly the same size as the tofu crumbles (about 1–2 cm pieces).

Combine base ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, place the warm crumbled tofu. Add blanched long beans, cucumber slices, thinly sliced shallots, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, shredded shiso and rau ram. Toss gently to combine so the herbs lightly coat the tofu.

Finish with heat and umami

Add finely chopped bird's eye chiles (start with 1 and add more to taste), fish sauce (or vegetarian alternative), lime zest and toasted rice powder (or sesame). Toss thoroughly. Adjust seasoning by adding up to 1 tablespoon more lime juice or 1/2 teaspoon more fish sauce, if desired. Final taste should be bright, slightly salty, tangy and herb-forward.

Rest briefly

Let the salad sit 5 minutes so flavors marry. Warm tofu will wilt herbs slightly, which is typical for larb.

Arrange baby gem lettuce leaves on a platter or individual plates. Spoon tofu larb into lettuce cups or mound in the center. Garnish with additional whole herb leaves (mint, cilantro, shiso), a sprinkle of toasted rice powder, and extra sliced chiles if desired. Serve immediately.