Fall

Laotian Beef Salad (Larb) with Omelette Noodles

June 27, 2013
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Larb is one of my favorite Southeast Asian dishes and combined with the Omelette Noodles it is wonderful.

I did something different here, something I wouldn’t normally do. Usually I would get the pan smoking hot and sear the protein but I didn’t get the wok hot enough and when meat hit metal it cooled down right away. It became a happy mistake. Instead of panicking I just let it sit. I watched as all the beef juice bubbled up around the meat and then slowly subsided until it was gone. Then the skirt steak caramelized really well and the fond, the sticky delicious stuff on the bottom of the pan, added tons of beefy flavor to the final dish. —thirschfeld

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Ingredients
  • For the Larb
  • 1 1/4 pounds skirt steak, sliced thinly then minced, or ground beef
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon grass, peeled and white ends only, minced
  • 1/2 cup shallot, julienned
  • 3 red Thai bird chile, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/3 cup mint leaves, torn
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, torn
  • 1/3 cup green onion, slivered
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
  • 1 lime
  • For the Omelette Noodles
  • 3 large eggs, such as Eggland's Best
  • half an egg shell of water
  • a pinch of salt
  • oil
Directions
  1. For the Larb
  2. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and when it is warm add the minced skirt steak, garlic, lemon grass and shallot. It should cool the pan down and as it cooks liquid should release from the protein. Let it gently bubble while you occasionally stir. As the juice begins to evaporate stop stirring. Patiently wait for the meat to brown and the fond to build on the bottom of the wok or pan.
  3. Add the fish sauce, soy and water. Stir the larb to combine and until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Using a spoon taste the larb and add a little salt if necessary. Stir then remove the pan from the heat.
  4. Once the steak isn’t so hot but still warm stir in juice from half of the lime, half the chili, mint, cilantro and green onion. Set aside while you cook the omelette noodles.
  1. For the Omelette Noodles
  2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the half egg shells worth of water and the pinch of salt. Whisk the eggs thoroughly.
  3. Place a 10 inch non-stick skillet over high heat. Before the pan gets to hot, add a dime size drop of oil and wipe it over the bottom of the pan with a paper towel.
  4. Using a 1 oz. ladle, ladle egg right into the middle of the hot pan and immediately roll the pan around by the handle to disperse the egg into a thin even layer. If you need to add a touch more egg do so. Cook the egg until the edges curl ever so slightly and the egg on the top side of the "crepe/omelette" has set. Remove the omelette to a clean cutting board. Repeat, place one omelette on top of the other cooked omelette until you have 4 thin omelettes stacked.
  5. Roll the omelettes and then slice them into noodles about 1/2 inch thick. Gently unroll the noodles and toss them with cooked larb. Plate up the salad and then top with the remaining herbs and the peanuts and squeeze the remaining lime juice over the top. Serve.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

13 Reviews

cmasters August 24, 2024
This is the recipe I use the most from this site. I've been making it for years. I always use a pound of ground beef or pork usually adding an extra egg to amp up the portions. I like to serve it as a lettuce wrap.
cream C. August 22, 2017
I served this over a cucumber & tomato salad. Wonderful! Worth repeating.
Franca October 28, 2015
I made this with ground tofu for supper last night. Delicious. Will be making this again. :)
Bryony July 3, 2014
This was a big hit in our house too. Great recipe and easy enough to accomplish too.
Alan D. October 13, 2013
Great recipe! We used a little more omelet and a little less beef, and found that the skirt steak shredded easily when almost frozen. Also since we used kosher mean which is salty, we cut down on the salty sauces -- about 2 teaspoons of Braggs Aminos (instead of the fish sauce) and one of kecap manis. But what a wonderful recipe!
Peter G. July 14, 2013
My partner and I are following a Paleo diet. These "Egg Noodles" would be a great a substitute for us, since we eat don't eat flour or grains. I would also sub Pine Nuts for the peanuts. I'm definitely trying this one. Sounds delicious.
thebunalsorises July 11, 2013
This is a great recipe for a weeknight meal. I used pork (I had it on hand) and it worked wonderfully. Loved the noodles and the fresh flavors. It was an awesome way to use up some leftover ingredients in my fridge. Thanks so much!
banahsohs July 8, 2013
quite certain this is my favorite food52 recipe yet. next time i plan on eating it out of a plate instead of straight outta the pan.
banahsohs July 8, 2021
8 years (to the day) later and I still love this!
deanna1001 July 3, 2013
Yum. I have only had chicken larb in the past. I'm going to try this recipe using ground pork (I have some in the freezer that needs using up.) Gotta believe it will taste as good as the beef version. Thanks!
thirschfeld July 3, 2013
It doesn't matter, you can use chicken, turkey, beef or pork and it is good.
RoseRover July 3, 2013
Mmm this is good!! A great summer salad! I also tossed in some Thai basil, quartered cherry tomatoes, julienned cucumber, a squeeze of lime juice and I'm wrapping bites of it in lettuce leaves to eat it. It is very satisfying! Lots of great fresh flavours in every bite.
thirschfeld July 3, 2013
RoseRover I am glad you mentioned the lime. I always squeeze lime over the finished dish and I completely forgot to mention that in the recipe. You other additions sound fantastic too!