Larb Husband.....

[Eesat]

Larb is a really tasty dish and i eat it alot, do you eat it cooked or raw, and with or without blood?

I've been to Laos many,many times as Larb is a Lao dish and I've never seen it advertised raw on any menu anywhere in Vientiane!

Raw larb is usually called Goi in Isaan but it has another name in Laos - my husband tried to order Goi in Vientiane and they didn't know what he meant. I think he found out it had another name (as someone else said below). Plus dishes evolve when they get adapted/adopted by another region so it may be more popular in Thailand than Laos???

I must admit I'll generally order Larb Gai which obviously can't be raw,so maybe I've just missed it on the menu,as I'm not a big fan of any red meat and rarely eat beef.I have heard of Nam Tok though but i think as a seperate dish,not Larb but I will look out for it and maybe try it next time I'm up in Lao or even Isaan.

[HeavyDrinker]

I've been told the lime juice 'cooks' the meat....anyone???

[lovelaos]

Larb is a really tasty dish and i eat it alot, do you eat it cooked or raw, and with or without blood?

I've been to Laos many,many times as Larb is a Lao dish and I've never seen it advertised raw on any menu anywhere in Vientiane!

Maybe not in Vientiane, but up here in Luang Prabang province, one of the traditional dishes eaten on the 15th April (Pee Mai Lao time) after the morning family Ba-See ceremony, is Laab Pa Dip (raw fish laab) or Laab Neua Dip (raw beef laab).

Same in Vientiane, Savan.... in fact countrywide.... outside of the tourist hangouts.

[maxme]

I've been told the lime juice 'cooks' the meat....anyone???

No you top it.

[Chao Lao Beach]

I will stick to my fresh local seafood

[TheGhostWithin]

I've been told the lime juice 'cooks' the meat....anyone???

Yes, but it only works in Isaan - it cooks with the Isaan sun (even in winter) with the Lemon, and is never raw when mixed with lemon juice, even when heat has not been applied to it.

Smile, love the food, love Isaan. I never ask what is in something.. if I like it I like it, the last thing I asked for and liked was Chickens @ss on a satay stick.. no kidding.

[PoorSucker]

Once bought the raw paste "laab kwai". Never again. Favourite has to be "laab bla duk" with some raw makhuea veg and sticky rice.

You like Larb catfish, before Larb water-buffalo?

[naboo]

Once bought the raw paste "laab kwai". Never again. Favourite has to be "laab bla duk" with some raw makhuea veg and sticky rice.

You like Larb catfish, before Larb water-buffalo?

I'm not sure of the pronunciation of my "laab kwai". It may have been "laab goi" as someone said above. I ordered what I thought was buffalo laab, but was a raw paste, inedible as far as I was concerned.

But the laab bla duk is exceptional, yes.

[Keith67]

Possibly to do with the tourist element i don't know, i have not looked in tourist areas here either, in the village they all eat it raw if the meat is minced, if the meat is just sliced then yes they cook it first.

When it's sliced it's 'Nam Tok" (I think).

I've seen it raw too, many times especially liver...

Nam Tok is when they slice the meat and then BAR-B-Q it before mixing.

I've been told the lime juice 'cooks' the meat....anyone???

Can't see that to be honest lime juice is the last ingredient to go in then it's mixed for about 30secs and then put on a plate and served, so not enough time really.

[Loptr]

I enjoy those little crunchy bits..

Funny, but I feel the same way about Haggis.

[theblether]

....and what exactly is wrong with haggis huh?

[Eesat]

....and what exactly is wrong with haggis huh?

There can't be many of them left these days,roaming the hills and glens of Bonny Scotland?

[SeaVisionBurma]

Moving to Pub. This does not belong in General.

[rene123]

Thankyou for the good belly laugh, blether. I enjoyed the story and could just picture it. Lost in translation is the term that comes to mind.

[rene123]

Moving to Pub. This does not belong in General.

You had the choice between the entertainment forum or the cooking forum.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Moving to Pub. This does not belong in General.

You had the choice between the entertainment forum or the cooking forum.

Yes, it was a very very difficult choice. Took nano-seconds to make a decision as to where this was going to be moved to.

[SeaVisionBurma]

One of the posts containing all caps has been removed.

Please DO NOT POST ALL IN CAPITALS - thank you.

[Razzler1973]

Possibly to do with the tourist element i don't know, i have not looked in tourist areas here either, in the village they all eat it raw if the meat is minced, if the meat is just sliced then yes they cook it first.

When it's sliced it's 'Nam Tok" (I think).

I've seen it raw too, many times especially liver...

That seems to be the only difference between Laap and Num Dtok

I am a huge Num Dtok fan as in I really, really like not that I am a huge guy that likes it :/

You can buy the ready-made Num Dtok/Laap powder in the supermarket for a couple of baht

Wherever I am in Thailand I always seek out the Isaan food place, it's always there, whether it's a town or even on the islands and they do like someone that orders Isaan food and enjoys it (which is most definitely me!)