Adam Liaw's mushroom larb

Name: Adam Liaw's mushroom larb
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp uncooked rice; ½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste); ½ tsp chilli flakes (or to taste); 500g button mushrooms, diced; 150g firm tofu, cut into 1cm cubes; 2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce; 3 limes, juiced (about ¼ cup of juice); 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 red onion, peeled, halved and very thinly sliced; 3 spring onions, finely sliced; 2 makrut lime leaves, finely sliced; 1 bird's eye chilli, sliced (optional); 1 cups coriander, loosely packed; 1 baby cos lettuce, to serve; 1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled at intervals and sliced, to serve

Adam Liaw

July 5, 2022

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

The toasted rice powder is really the key to a good larb. It provides texture but also absorbs the juices from the vegetables and sauce for even more flavour.

Ingredients

2 tbsp uncooked rice
½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
½ tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
500g button mushrooms, diced
150g firm tofu, cut into 1cm cubes
2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
3 limes, juiced (about ¼ cup of juice)
1 tsp caster sugar
1 red onion, peeled, halved and very thinly sliced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 makrut lime leaves, finely sliced
1 bird's eye chilli, sliced (optional)
1 cups coriander, loosely packed
1 baby cos lettuce, to serve
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled at intervals and sliced, to serve

Method

1. Place the uncooked rice in a dry frypan and heat over medium heat, tossing occasionally until the rice begins to turn chalky white and light brown around the edges. Add the chilli powder and chilli flakes and toss in the pan for about 30 seconds until the chilli is fragrant. Transfer the rice and chilli to a mortar and pestle and grind the rice to a coarse powder.
2. Place the mushrooms and tofu in a bowl and microwave for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through. There will be mushroom liquid in the bottom of the bowl – don't discard it. Allow the mushrooms to cool slightly.
3. Add the fish or soy sauce to the mushroom mixture, then the lime juice, sugar, red onion, spring onion, lime leaf, coriander and the rice and chilli powder mixture. Add the sliced chilli, if using, and toss to coat well. Serve with the lettuce and cucumber.
Also try Adam Liaw's winter vegetable pancakes