Easy larb at home

The piquant Thai appetizer, larb, is one of my all-time favorite dishes because it’s interactive and because it is at once spicy, sweet and tangy. Larb is ground chicken or some other ground meat sautéed and sauced with a mysterious dressing and enhanced by fresh herbs, red onion and hot peppers. It’s generally served in cold raw cabbage or lettuce cups, which add an irresistible layer of freshness and crunch. I’m forever playing around with at-home recipes, trying to replicate the larb I’ve had in Thai restaurants in Baton Rouge and other cities. Lately, I’ve been making a knock-out version that is ridiculously easy and achievable on busy weeknights.

Here’s what you do: sauté a pound of ground chicken (breast, thigh or a combination) with half a red onion, sliced thin crosswise into crescents. Add half a teaspoon of salt and a few turns of fresh ground pepper. If you like things spicy, add slices of a fresh hot Serrano or jalapeno pepper. Drain the mixture if necessary and set aside in a bowl. In another bowl, combine two tablespoons honey or brown sugar and two tablespoons fish sauce. Add the juice of three limes and whisk until incorporated. Pour over meat mixture, then add three tablespoons of chopped fresh mint and cilantro. Arrange on a place with cold cabbage leaves. Enjoy!