I first tasted this delight of Asian cooking in 1971, at The Mandarin, Cecilia Chiang’s celebrated fine-dining restaurant in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square. It was made with squab, rather than the more standard chicken. At the time, it was an anomaly, and an eye-opener to me about a rich and varied pan-Asian fare that I was just beginning to encounter. Since then, culinary relatives of that Chinese classic have become looked-for menu choices in the Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese restaurants that pepper American neighborhoods. The Southeast Asian versions, called laab, laap, larb, or larp, depending on who’s doing the translating, are basically refreshing sausage salads, sometimes made with pork, suitable for an appetizer or a meal, depending on how you want to serve them. They’re a cinch to make at home. Ground chicken works fine if you are not inclined to mince the meat with a chef’s knife. The advantage of the latter is that the sausage has a more defined texture. The roasted rice powder is an almost-secret treasure of Southeast Asian cuisine. It keeps its fragrance and savor for weeks, waiting in the cupboard for when you would like a dash of something different, subtle and nutty, on top of almost anything.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Roasted Rice Powder
Sausage
Preparation
Step 1
To make the roasted rice powder, place a small, heavy ungreased skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rice and dry-roast, stirring frequently, until golden brown all around, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool slightly, transfer to a spice grinder, and coarsely grind. Set aside until ready to use, or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard for up to several weeks.
Step 2
If using whole chicken breasts, mince them, including the skin. Place the minced or ground chicken in a medium saucepan, add the broth, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the meat is white and firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain into a sieve, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside to cool. If desired, reserve the cooking liquid for another purpose, though it will be cloudy.
Step 3
To make the sausage, add the shallot, chile, cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the roasted rice powder to the chicken. Gently toss together with your hands, without kneading, until well mixed.
Step 4
To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Mound some of the sausage in the center of leach leaf. Sprinkle the remaining rice powder over the top, strew the scallions, basil, and mint over all, and serve.
