Culinary Escapade

We are trying to reduce the amount of carbs we ingest. I’ve always had trouble having a meal that does not include rice.

When it comes to salads, I don’t normally go for them unless it involves chunks of chicken in it. However, I got tired of the typical chicken cesar I go for. I wanted something fresh, tangy and spicy. Laab gai or spicy Thai chicken salad is not a salad that has mostly leaves in it. In fact, it is traditionally eaten with sticky rice.

You must be thinking to yourself: “Hold up, did she not say she was reducing the amount of carbs they eat?”. Yes, you read correctly. I did not serve it with sticky rice, I decided to roll up the chicken in lettuce leave and eat them that way. It was a nice refreshing bite and left me completely satisfied afterwards despite the lack of rice.

Laab gai is quick to make, even quicker if you get ground chicken. I did not want the chicken to be broken up like hamburger meat, so I ran my knife through it and roughly minced it up myself. It leaves the chicken in larger pieces which I prefer. The dish also adds ground toasted rice (khao koor) to add texture. You’ll find the recipe to make it below. You can also substitute with ground peanuts if you prefer.

Laab Gai – Spicy Thai Chicken Salad

2 large chicken breasts, roughly minced
2 limes, juiced
3 tbsp chicken stock
2 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 Thai chili, minced (remove seeds if you want it not too hot)
1 tbsp khao koor (ground toasted rice – see recipe below)
1/2 small onion, sliced thinly
1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
Leaves from one head of boston lettuce

Method:
- Line a serving dish with some lettuce leaves. Set aside the rest for wrapping.

- Heat some cooking oil in a hot wok and stir fry the chicken until it just starts to turn white

- Add remaining ingredients to wok and stir until heated through and the chicken is cooked.

- Put chicken onto the serving dish. Spoon to chicken onto a lettuce leaf, fold and enjoy!

————————-

Khao Koor – Ground Toasted Rice

2 tbsp uncooked jasmine rice

Method:
- Heat up a dry wok, until hot

- Add jasmine rice

- Keep stirring to prevent burning. When the rice starts to turn golden brown, remove from heat and allow to cool

- Grind to a coarse powder in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle