Vegan Tempeh Larb

Fresh, aromatic and full of flavour. This vegan Larb is made with finely diced tempeh, a spicy-tangy sauce, lots a fresh herbs and toasted ground rice for crunch.

A delicious blend of spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Enjoy as a low-carb vegan meal or serve with rice.

WHAT IS LARB

Larb or laab is the national dish of Laos and very popular in Thailand.

It is a refreshing meat salad traditionally made with ground meat, lots of fresh herbs and toasted ground rice.

Larb is traditionally served hot, but it tastes wonderful at room temperate as a salad dish or salad wrap.

This is my vegan take on the traditional Thai larb.

TO MAKE THIS YOU WILL NEED

tempeh
soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free option)
vegan fish sauce or more soy sauce
fresh limes
coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice)
fresh ginger
fresh chillies
sea salt & black pepper
spring onions
raw basmati or long grain rice
a bunch of fresh mint
a bunch fresh coriander
vegetable or rapeseed oil for cooking
Fresh lettuce or cooked rice, to serve

HOW TO MAKE THIS

Firstly make the toasted ground rice by toasting raw rice in a hot pan until golden. The cooled rice is then ground into a rough powdery consistency.

Next, finely diced or chopped tempeh is fried along with chillies and spring onions, before adding a fragrant spicy-tangy sauce and some of the ground rice.

Finish with a lot of fresh herbs and serve in lettuce cups or on sticky rice.

ALTERNATIVES

This can also be enjoyed with cooked rice instead of fresh lettuce.
Add vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots or greens
Replace the tempeh with tofu or finely chopped seitan pieces
Replace the toasted ground rice with chopped peanuts or cashews
Add cooked rice to the tempeh mixture

OTHER TOPPINGS

Pickled onions or pickled radishes
Crushed peanuts or toasted cashews

OTHER RECIPES TO TRY

spicy cauliflower bites with a garlic dip

spicy chickpea 'tuna' bibimbap

VEGAN LARB

Fresh, aromatic and full of flavour. This vegan Larb is made with finely diced tempeh, a spicy-tangy sauce, lots a fresh herbs and toasted ground rice for crunch. A delicious blend of spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Enjoy as a low-carb vegan meal or serve with rice.

Serves: 2 - 3

Time : about 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

200g block tempeh
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free option)
1 tbsp vegan fish sauce or more soy sauce
juice from 1 lime, or to taste
1 -2 tsp coconut sugar
2 tsp grated, fresh ginger
2 - 3 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp raw basmati or long grain rice
bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped
bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil

TO SERVE

Fresh lettuce or cooked rice
toasted peanuts (optional)
more toasted ground rice
lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

In a dry hot pan toast the raw rice for about 10 minutes or until golden and toasted. Stir constantly.
Once toasted, remove from the pan and let it cool for a bit before pounding the toasted rice in a pestle and mortar into smaller pieces.
In a small bowl mix the soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, lime juice, coconut sugar and fresh ginger. Set aside.
Chop the tempeh into really fine cubes or pieces.
Heat the pan you used for the rice, add the vegetable oil and cook the tempeh until the pieces start to golden.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Add the chilli and spring onions (white part only) and fry for another 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and pour the marinade over the tempeh.
Add 1-2 tbsp ground toasted rice to the tempeh and 2/3 of the fresh herbs.
Give a good mix.
Serve the tempeh in lettuce cups. Finish with more fresh herbs, more ground rice, spring onions (green part), peanuts (optional) and a bit more lime juice.

HAVE YOU MADE THIS?

If you have, I would love to see your creations on Instagram.

Make sure to leave a review below and give it a rating.

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