Step 1

First step is to make the toasted rice (khao kua ข้าวคั่ว).

Step 2

Heat a frying pan on low heat, toss in the uncooked Thai sticky rice (no oil). Stir continuously, kind of like you’re roasting peanuts or coffee. Toast the rice until it turns from white to golden yellow, almost to the point where it looks like brown wheat. It will also be very fragrant and smell almost like popcorn. It took me about 15 minutes or so.

Step 3

Once the rice is finished toasting, and has cooled off a bit, put it into your stone mortar and pestle. Pound the rice until it turns into a coarse powder (a blender or food processor will also work fine). Put your toasted sticky rice powder in a bowl aside.

Step 4

Add 300 grams of minced pork to a small sized saucepan with a handle. Fry the pork, breaking it into small minced pieces, until it’s fully cooked all the way through. For best flavor, leave all the oils that come out (but if you want to be healthier, you can also drain the pork oil, and add in a splash of water instead). Take the pork off the heat.

Step 5

Leaving the pork in the same pot, add 1 heaping tablespoon of the toasted rice powder into the pork. Also toss in ½ – 1 tablespoon of chili flakes.

Step 6

Add a pinch of sugar, ½ tablespoon of fish sauce, and squeeze in the juice from 1 – 2 limes (I used about 1 ½ full limes, but I like it quite sour).

Step 7

Give the pork and the seasoning a quick stir.

Step 8

Peel and slice the shallots, finely mince about 5 green onions and a few culantro leaves (if you have them), and just pluck about 20 or so mint leaves off the stem. Throw everything into the saucepan with the pork.

Step 9

Give the larb moo a good mix, making sure all the spices and dressing coats the pork.

Step 10

Taste test. See if it needs more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice, or chili flakes. Get it the way you want it.

Step 11

Dish it out onto a plate and garnish with more mint leaves, Thai sweet basil, and culantro.