Pork Larb with White Nectarine and Green Chilli Salsa

By Dana Sims @stone_and_twine on December 16, 2021 in Food

Plenty of greenery. Photo: Dana Sims @stone_and_twine

Larb is a delicious and vibrant Thai salad with maximum flavour – hot, salty, sweet and sour. There are plenty of greens to keep it fresh for summer including layers of lettuce leaves for crunch, fragrant Thai basil, mint and coriander.
For a summery twist, I’ve added a sweet and zingy white nectarine and green chilli salsa, which is super fresh and pairs superbly with the pork.
As a generous salad that feeds 3-4 hungry humans, this Thai fave will make a great impression as it lands on the table.

Ingredients
Mince
650gm pork mince
1 tbs sesame oil
¼ cup water
¼ cup fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp white sugar
1 lemongrass stem, white part only, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Salad
1 cos lettuce – leaves separated, keep some whole, some halved
1 baby cos – leaves separated
1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced lengthways into 8
1 cup bean sprouts
1 stem of spring onion, sliced finely on the diagonal
2 limes cut into wedges, to serve

Salsa
2 white nectarines, seeds removed, diced
1 long green chilli, finely diced
¼ small red onion, finely diced
Juice of ½ lime

Method
1. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add lemongrass, garlic, chilli and pork mince, breaking up the lumps with a spatula, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the sugar and water, then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Combine ingredients well then remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mince to a bowl.
2. Arrange the salad ingredients on a large serving dish.
3. Place ingredients for the salsa in a small serving bowl and combine well.
4. Spoon the pork mince to one side of the salad, then the nectarine salsa over the top or served separately in the bowl and scatter wedges of lime around the salad.

Dana Sims is a Sydney-based food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to here in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.