Larb. Sounds like "lard" or "barb", and neither of those words makes me think "fantastic, delicately flavored meat salad".
But that is exactly what it is. My friend Suzanne introduced me to it at Modern Thai, a restaurant that I had gone to for over 5 years without knowing anything about this dish. I read that it originates in Laos, and is a mixture of minced meat (I like chicken), lime juice, raw onion, herbs and lettuce. It is both satisfying and refreshing.
Now that I know about it, I like to get it after a night at Iron Cupcake Challenge, when my taste buds are on sweet overload and I am craving something savory. It's not too filling, and I can eat a good sized portion without feeling overloaded - in fact, it feels cleansing. It makes me want to go back to Thailand, a place that I have been fortunate to visit once and that has stayed with me ever since.
