Laab Moo

Preparation

1. Laab Chile

   Step 1

   Toast dried red Thai chiles, whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, whole cloves, broken cinnamon sticks, dried dee plee peppers, whole nutmeg, and cardamom pods in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat until aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and let cool completely. Add the salt and pound with a pestle into a fine powder. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a spice grinder.) This makes about ½ cup laab chile, which will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

2. Laab moo

   Step 2

   In a large bowl, combine the ground pork and liver with the laab chile until just mixed. Set aside.

   Step 3

   In a wide sauté pan, heat ¼ cup of the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly until golden and fragrant, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn, about 3 minutes. Transfer the crispy garlic and oil to a small bowl and set aside.

   Step 4

   Add the remaining ¼ cup oil to the pan, add the chiles, and cook until darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer the crispy chiles and oil to a second small bowl and set aside.

   Step 5

   In the same pan over medium-high heat, sauté the pork mixture just until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the fried garlic along with the lemongrass and makrut lime leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the two kinds of mint, the culantro, scallions, and cilantro and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Off the heat, season with fish sauce to taste.

   Step 6

   Transfer to a platter and garnish with makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, crispy pork rinds, the remaining fried garlic, the fried chiles, chopped cilantro, and scallions. Serve with cucumber and cherry tomatoes.