LAAP PET

Spicy Ground Duck

Laap means ‘good fortune’. This version using duck is a speciality from around Ubon Rachathani but you can use minced chicken instead of duck. Laap is served with raw vegetables such as snake beans, cabbage and firm, crisp lettuce.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon jasmine rice

280 g (10 oz) minced (ground) duck

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 lemon grass stalks, white part only, thinly sliced

50 g (2 oz) Asian shallots, thinly sliced

5 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, thinly sliced

5 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

¼–½ teaspoon roasted chilli powder, according to taste

a few lettuce leaves

a few mint leaves, for garnish

raw vegetables such as snake (yard-long) beans, cut into lengths, cucumber slices, thin wedges of cabbage, halved baby tomatoes, to serve

Dry-fry the rice in a small pan over medium heat. Shake the pan to move the rice around for 6–8 minutes, or until the rice is brown. Using a pestle and mortar or a small blender, pound or blend the rice until it almost forms a powder.

In a saucepan or wok, cook the duck with the lime juice and fish sauce over high heat. Crumble and break the duck until the meat has separated into small pieces. Cook until light brown and dry, then remove from the heat.

Add the rice powder, lemon grass, shallots, lime leaves, spring onions and chilli powder to the duck and stir together. Taste, then adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Line a serving plate with lettuce leaves. Spoon the duck over the leaves, then garnish with mint leaves. Arrange the vegetables on a separate plate.

Pound the dry-fried rice in a pestle and mortar until it forms a powder. Alternatively, you can use a small blender.