Finger foods are a fun way of eating dinner for kids and adults alike. I have made Korean Lettuce Wraps and Korean Chicken Tacos as weeknight dinners, which my kids have enjoyed so much that I thought I would try Thai Turkey Larb Lettuce Wraps, another variation for a quick and easy, make ahead meal during the weekday.
I had eaten Larb at Thai restaurants, but never made it at home. Larb (from Thailand and Laos) is a meat “salad”, made with beef, pork, duck, chicken, turkey, or fish, and is typically seasoned with fish sauce, lime juice and fresh herbs. Ground roasted rice powder is often included to help absorb excess moisture, and add a nutty flavor. Larb has a combination of sweet, spicy, sour and salty flavors, so you get a mouthful of flavors at the same time.
I was a little nervous at dinnertime as I had never served a dish like Larb, with so many different flavors going on at the same time, but I knew my kids liked lettuce wraps. I have found that I can introduce new foods to my family more easily if I keep at least one component the same. In this case, the lettuce wrap idea was a no brainer (since my kids love to eat with their fingers), and the filling was similar in texture to the Korean Lettuce Wrap filling (just a lighter color).
Larb can be made ahead of time and served warm or at room temperature (one key reason I like this recipe); just leave out the mint until you’re ready to eat to retain its fresh taste.
My kids layered steamed rice and Turkey Larb on the lettuce leaves, although Turkey Larb would be good in a tortilla wrap too. Either way, it’s fun to eat. I put a small dish of fish sauce on the table so everyone could season for saltiness to their liking (it also made dinnertime more interactive). I’m going to add this to my weekday go-to recipes since there were no leftovers!
Turkey Larb Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from Giada De Laurentils’ recipe on Food Network (which does not include the typical toasted ground rice powder – I will try adding this next time). Although not traditional, I included shredded cabbage in this larb recipe, for its nutritional value (cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable). It also makes the larb looser and softer in texture.
Printable Recipe
Dressing:
Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
Larb:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ red onion, diced
2 shallots, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed, tender parts finely minced
1 Thai chili, thinly sliced
1½ pounds ground turkey or chicken
4 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix
½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
ground black pepper
1 head radicchio or Boston lettuce, leaves separated
To make dressing, mix all Dressing ingredients together. Set aside.
To make Larb, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, shallots, lemongrass, and chili. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until done. Drain off meat juices and add cabbage. Cook 3-4 minutes until cabbage is cooked. Add dressing to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in mint.
To serve, spoon turkey mixture onto radicchio leaves and serve. Steamed brown rice would be nice as an accompaniment.
Note: Radicchio is a little bitter, so you may prefer to use Boston lettuce instead for a sweeter choice.
Serves 4-6.
More Thai Larb Recipes:
Turkey Larb on Food Network by Giada De Laurentils
Vegetarian Soy and Mushroom Larb by Messy Vegetarian Cook
Fish Larb on Nicole’s Adventures in Wonderland and Elsewhere
Thai Chicken Larb on Show Me The Curry (video)
Fish Larb on Nicole’s Adventures in Wonderland and Elsewhere
Thai Chicken Larb on Show Me The Curry (video)
Anticancer Ingredients: Lemon, Lime, Red Onion, Shallots, Cabbage, Radicchio
You have a great strategy for getting the kids to try new foods. I too have to get creative when introducing new foods to my toddler. It can be a pulling of the hair out experience most nights. This sounds so delicious and looks fun to eat!
It can be tricky introducing kids to new foods, but I do find that if I keep one thing constant, like a spice or the way the dish is served (lettuce wraps, meatballs), they are much more receptive.
Sounds interesting and yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will surely try this out.
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