Chicken Larb with Toasted Rice and Pinto Beans

Chef Bill Briwa from The Culinary Institute of America prepares larb, a classic Thai salad with a twist. He adds pinto beans to the salad for their creamy texture and extra kick of protein. Toasted rice that has been ground to a powder add a special nutty flavor to the salad. To download a Spanish translation of this recipe click here.

Course: Salads

Cuisine: Asian

Bean type: Pinto Bean

Collection: Chef Creation, Video

Servings:

Calories: 220kcal

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons sticky rice raw
¼ cup rice powder roasted
12 ounces chicken coarsely ground or chopped
1½ cups pinto beans cooked
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon chili powder or chili flakes hot (preferably Thai)
5 teaspoons lime juice of
4 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup red onions slivered
2 tablespoons scallions sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro coarsely chopped
10 mint leaves whole, plus more for serving
lettuce cups or cabbage leaves
green beans cooked
cherry tomatoes halved
cucumber spears
cilantro, mint and basil leaves

Instructions

Place the rice into a dry sauté pan over medium heat and toast it, stirring constantly, until it turns a pale golden color, about 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the pan, allow to cool, and grind in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder until you have a slightly coarse powder; a little finer than cornmeal. Reserve.
In a pan, warm the pinto beans for about 2 minutes and reserve.
Sauté the chicken in olive oil over a high heat. In either case, cook until the meat is fully cooked and firm, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the reserved, cooked beans. Add the chili powder, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar. You are looking for an assertive, but balanced flavor that is at salty, savory, sweet, sour, and spicy.
Next, add the onions, scallions, and cilantro and combine. Add the torn mint leaves, taking the care not to bruise them. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
To serve, mound the chicken and bean mixture on a shallow platter.
For garnish: Decorate the plate with your own selection of cooked and raw vegetables. My favorites include cabbage wedges or lettuce cups, cherry tomatoes, green beans or cucumbers, and fresh basil, cilantro, and mint leaves.

Notes

In Thailand, this dish is served as a meal with either Jasmine rice or, more typically, sticky rice.

Recipe developed by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service to the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

Nutrition