Traditional Thai Pork With Lime & Mint Recipe

There are two kinds of “pork salad” in this world. One is what your aunt brings to a picnic (mayonnaise, mystery crunch, and regret).
The other is traditional Thai pork with lime and mintbright, herby, tangy, and spicy in a way that makes your taste buds sit up straight and pay rent.

This dish is commonly known as larb moo (also spelled laab or laap): a minced pork “salad” that leans hard into Thailand’s signature balance of flavors
sour lime, salty fish sauce, spicy chile, and a cool pile of mint and herbs.
It’s fast enough for a weeknight, but bold enough to make plain rice feel like it just got invited to a party.

Why This Recipe Works

• Lime + fish sauce create a punchy dressing that tastes like “fresh” with a megaphone.
• Mint brings a cooling lift that keeps pork from feeling heavy.
• Toasted rice powder (optional but highly recommended) adds a nutty aroma and a gentle, sandy crunch that makes the whole dish feel “restaurant-level.”
• Minimal cooking keeps the pork juicy, letting the herbs and lime do the flexing.

What You’ll Taste (So You Know You’re Doing It Right)

A great larb moo hits in this order: lime first (zing!), then fish sauce (umami), then chile (warmth), then herbs (fresh air),
then toasted rice (toasty finish). If your first bite makes you blink twice and smile once, congratulationsyou’re basically a culinary wizard.

Ingredients

Makes: 3–4 servings  |  Time: ~20 minutes

For the pork

• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork (80–90% lean works great)
• 2–4 tbsp water (helps keep the pork tender while cooking)
• 1–2 tsp neutral oil (optional; only if your pan is extra clingy)

For the lime–mint dressing

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (start here; adjust to taste)
• 1–2 tsp sugar (or palm sugar/brown sugar; balances the lime)
• 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper or Thai chile flakes (to taste)
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (or 1/4 cup red onion)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup loosely packed mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped (optional but great)
• 2 tbsp Thai basil (optional, but adds that unmistakable Thai aroma)

Optional but very “traditional-feeling” add-ins

• 1–2 tbsp toasted rice powder (see quick method below)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime zest (if you like extra lime perfume)
• 1–2 tsp roasted chili powder (adds a deeper, smoky heat)

For serving

• Butter lettuce, romaine, or cabbage leaves (for wraps)
• Sliced cucumber, radishes, or shredded cabbage
• Sticky rice or jasmine rice
• Lime wedges and extra mint for the “I meant to do that” finishing touch

How to Make Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua) in 5 Minutes

This is the tiny step that makes people ask, “Wait…what is that flavor?” (in a good way).
If you can toast bread, you can toast rice. If you can operate a blender, you can become unstoppable.

1. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add 2 tbsp uncooked sticky rice (or jasmine rice in a pinch).
3. Toast, shaking the pan often, until the grains turn golden and smell nutty (about 3–5 minutes).
4. Cool 2 minutes, then grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until sandy (not dust-fine).

Step-by-Step Recipe: Traditional Thai Pork With Lime & Mint

1) Cook the pork (juicy, not crusty)

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground pork and 2 tbsp water.
2. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s just cooked through and no longer pink (about 5–7 minutes). Add a splash more water if it looks dry.
3. Turn off the heat. Let the pork cool for 2–3 minutes so it doesn’t instantly wilt your herbs into sadness.

2) Make the dressing

1. In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
2. Stir in chile flakes, shallot, and scallions.

3) Toss (this is where it becomes larb)

1. Add the warm pork to the bowl and mix well so it soaks up the dressing.
2. Sprinkle in toasted rice powder (if using) and toss again.
3. Fold in mint (and cilantro/Thai basil if using). Taste.

4) Adjust like a Thai flavor DJ

Thai food is all about balance. Here’s how to “mix the track”:

• Too sour? Add 1/2–1 tsp sugar.
• Too salty? Add more lime juice or a tablespoon of water, then more herbs.
• Not punchy enough? Add fish sauce in 1 tsp steps and a little more lime.
• Needs heat? Add chile flakes or a finely sliced fresh Thai chile.
• Needs “something”? It’s probably toasted rice powder or mint. (Yes, really.)

5) Serve

Spoon the larb into lettuce or cabbage leaves, top with cucumber, and serve with rice and lime wedges.
If you’re feeling fancy, set out a platter of herbs so everyone can build their own perfect bite.

Traditional Serving Ideas (So It Feels Like a Real Thai Meal)

• Lettuce-wrap style: Larb + cucumber + extra mint + rice = hand-held happiness.
• Rice bowl style: Spoon larb over warm jasmine rice; add crunchy veg on the side.
• Party platter: Put larb in the middle, surround it with lettuce leaves, herbs, cucumber, and lime wedges. People will hover like it’s the snacks table at a wedding.

Ingredient Notes & Smart Swaps

Ground pork

Ground pork is classic, but you can use finely chopped pork shoulder or pork loin too. If you go lean, add a tablespoon of water during cooking to keep it tender.

Fish sauce

Fish sauce isn’t “fishy” when balancedit’s salty, savory depth. If you’re new to it, start with the lower amount and build up.

Mint

Use fresh mint (not dried). Tear the leaves instead of mincing them into confetti; tearing keeps the flavor brighter and less “bruised.”

Toasted rice powder

Optional, but it adds a signature nuttiness and helps the dressing cling to the pork.
If you skip it, the dish is still deliciousjust a bit less “Isan-style.”

Food Safety Note (Because Pork Is Not a Guessing Game)

Cook ground pork to a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) if you’re measuring with a thermometer.
Since larb uses small crumbles, the “no pink left” rule often lines upbut the thermometer is the MVP for certainty.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Leftovers

• Best fresh: Larb is at its brightest the day it’s made (hello, mint and lime).
• Make-ahead trick: Cook the pork and mix the dressing ahead. Combine with herbs right before serving.
• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Add fresh mint and a squeeze of lime to revive it.
• Not freezer-friendly: The herbs turn sad and the texture changes. This dish is a “make it, love it, finish it” situation.

Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

1) Overcooking the pork

If the pork turns dry and tough, the salad loses its “fresh” magic. Cook just until done, then get it off the heat.

2) Dumping herbs into piping-hot meat

Let the pork cool a couple minutes. Otherwise, your mint will wilt and taste flat instead of bright.

3) Forgetting balance

Lime without sugar can be harsh; fish sauce without enough lime can be heavy. Taste and tweakthis is normal and traditional.

FAQs

Is this the same as “nam tok”?

Not exactly. Larb is typically minced meat with herbs and lime; nam tok often uses sliced grilled meat with a similar dressing.
Same family, different sibling energy.

Can I make it less spicy?

Absolutely. Use less chile flakes and serve extra chile on the side so heat-lovers can turn it up without punishing everyone else.

Can I add vegetables?

Yes. Cucumber, shredded cabbage, or even thin-sliced bell pepper add crunch and make the dish feel extra refreshing.

Experience Notes: What Making This Dish Feels Like (and Why People Get Hooked)

The first time you make traditional Thai pork with lime and mint, it can feel almost suspiciously simplelike you’re getting away with something.
You brown (or gently cook) pork, whisk a quick dressing, then throw in herbs and call it dinner. That’s it. And yet, the end result tastes like you spent
an afternoon negotiating with the gods of flavor.

The sensory experience starts early, especially if you toast rice for the powder. The smell is warm and nuttysomewhere between popcorn and toasted cereal
and it instantly signals “something special is happening.” When you grind it, you’ll notice it doesn’t become flour; it becomes a sandy crumble that clings
to everything in the best way. That cling is part of the magic: the lime-fish sauce dressing doesn’t just pool at the bottomit coats the pork.

Then comes the moment of lime. Fresh lime juice changes the whole mood of the dish. Pork can be rich; lime turns it lively. The acidity lifts the fat and
makes the meat taste lighter than it has any business being. If you’ve ever had a dish that felt “heavy” halfway through, larb is the opposite: each bite
tastes like it’s resetting your palate and daring you to take another.

Mint is the secret handshake. It’s not just “an herb garnish.” It’s the cooling counterweight that makes the spice feel fun instead of aggressive.
And because mint is so aromatic, you smell it before you taste itso the dish feels fresh even while it’s still warm. That warm-and-fresh contrast is a big
reason people crave larb: it satisfies like cooked food but refreshes like a salad.

Serving it in lettuce or cabbage leaves changes the whole experience too. The crunch gives you a clean snap on the first bite, then the pork and herbs hit,
then the lime follows through. Add cucumber and you get a cool, watery crunch that keeps the heat from building too fast. It also makes larb ridiculously
shareable: people build bites the way they build tacoscasual, hands-on, and instantly customizable.

A common “aha” moment is realizing that balance is personal. Some cooks like it sharp and lime-forward; others want it more savory and fish-sauce-driven.
Some want a gentle warmth; others want the kind of chile heat that makes you politely excuse yourself to go stare into the fridge for comfort.
Larb welcomes all of it. The dish isn’t fragileit’s adjustable. And once you learn the basic flavor ratios (sour + salty + a little sweet + herbs),
you can apply the same logic to other proteins, too.

Finally, there’s the after-effect: larb tends to make the rest of your dinner table feel… too quiet. Plain sides like rice and cucumber suddenly taste
purposeful. People linger. Someone asks what the “toasty” flavor is (that’s the rice powder). Someone else asks if you can make it again “but maybe with
extra mint.” And just like that, a 20-minute recipe becomes one of those dishes you return to whenever you want dinner to taste bright, bold, and a little
bit like you know what you’re doingeven if you’re cooking in sweatpants.

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