I’m always looking for easy, healthy recipes to make use of ground meat for busy weekday nights. Larb is a popular Loatian dish that has made its way into Thai cuisine as well. It’s simple yet flavourful, and is super versatile, servable in lettuce wraps, cabbage cups, salads or over steamed cauliflower rice. All the fresh herbs and fresh lime juice combined with umami fish sauce make it enticing in all forms.

Keto Herby Larb with Chiles Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 tablespoon almond flour
  • 1 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ¾ cup shallot or red onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari soy sauce
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus more for serving (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon Lakanto granulated monk fruit sweetener
  • 1 bird’s eye chile, finely chopped (*or other fresh pepper if unavailable)
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • 1 lb ground pork, chicken or beef
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper (or to taste)
  • Kosher salt
  • Flaky sea salt (like Maldon or Fleur de sel (optional)
  • 1 cup Persian or English cucumber, diced

Directions:

  1. Pour coconut and almond flours into a small frying pan. Smash it down until the chunks are gone and it is an even layer in the pan.

  2. Turn the stove to medium heat. Slowly heat the flours.

  3. After about 1 minute, start stirring every few seconds, constantly rotating the flour. It takes a while, but suddenly it will start toasting and it will be done almost instantly.
    Once it starts browning, stir constantly until golden brown. Quickly remove from heat and remove from pan.

  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add ground meat, sprinkling kosher salt and pepper (to taste) over the meat then breaking meat apart with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until meat is no longer pink, but not browned, around 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat.

  5. Remove skillet from heat. While the skillet is still hot, stir in shallots, garlic and fresh peppers. Stir and use the remaining warmth to bring out the shallot fragrance. Season the meat with fish sauce, tamari soy sauce, lime juice, and chili flakes. Lastly, add cilantro, mint leaves, and green onions. Toss, taste and adjust the dish to your taste, by adding flaky sea salt, black pepper lime, fish sauce...etc.

  6. Stir in the the toasted coconut and almond flour and stir together until fully combined. Serve in lettuce wraps, cabbage cups, or over steamed cauliflower rice with diced cucumber.

Did you make this keto herby larb with chile recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)