Thai Zucchini Salad (Larb)
Larb is a classic salad with roots in Laos and Thailand. It typically features seasoned ground meat and lots of herbs and vegetables. Here, we use summer squash and quinoa for a satisfying veggie-based version.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup quinoa
- 3 tablespoons short-grain brown rice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Thai bird's-eye chile minced, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 ¾ cups finely chopped summer squash (about 1 medium)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 8 leaves green-leaf lettuce
- Fresh basil & mint for serving
Instructions
- Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat rice in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and some starts to pop like popcorn, 4 to 7 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Wipe the skillet clean.
- Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, chile (or crushed red pepper) and sugar in a small bowl. Add oil, squash and zucchini to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until just tendercrisp, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ground rice and all but 4 teaspoons of the sauce.
- Serve the quinoa and the zucchini mixture in lettuce leaves. Top with the reserved sauce and basil and mint, if desired.
Notes
Equipment: Spice grinder