Laab (Thai minced pork salad)

From Savuer, Oct 2012, P. 14

This is addicting! I htink I've left out some of the chile flakes when the Thai chiles are really hot. And, I hear you can use less oil and less salt (add it back in at the end if needed)

SERVES 2–4

INGREDIENTS

⅓ cup canola oil (or less, this is quite a bit)

3 tbsp. mashed garlic

4 red Thai chiles, stemmed and minced

10 oz. ground pork

1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. ground cardamom

2 tbsp. minced mint, plus more to garnish

1 tbsp. minced scallions, plus more to garnish

1 tbsp. minced cilantro, plus more to garnish

2 tsp. fish sauce

Thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, shallots, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes to garnish

Butter lettuce leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chiles, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add pork, chile flakes, five-spice, nutmeg, salt, pepper, coriander, and cardamom, and cook, stirring, until pork is browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in mint, scallions, cilantro, and fish sauce, and cook until pork is done, about 4 minutes.

2. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and top with scallions, cilantro, kaffir leaves, lemongrass, shallots, mint, cilantro, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Serve at room temperature. Spoon into lettuce leaves, "wrap" and eat.