Larb

Oh, Larb, Laab, however you spell it. We had never made this before and looking at the recipe, I was surprised at the addition of toasted rice.  Ground up, it lends a slightly nutty counterpoint to the spicy, tangy pork tossed with a tangle of mint and cilantro.

We served it alongside some green beans and coconut rice, sadly missing the sticky rice that teh recipe suggested is the usual accompaniment. Finding two lonely eggplant in the fridge, I decided to make Basil Eggplant as a side. Sugar and fish sauce make a salty, sweet sauce that the eggplant soaked up into delicious morsels of flavor. My substitution of good ol’ basil from our deck garden for thai basil wasn’t a total abomination. A definite make again – next time chicken larb?