{"id":132614,"title":"Authentic Thai Beef Tartare – Larb Dip","modified":"2026-06-13T11:16:56+02:00","plain":"This Thai raw beef salad is a quick, easy, and authentic dish from northeastern Thailand, and a delicacy for the people of Isan. This traditional no-cook recipe is packed with bold, spicy flavors, fresh herbs, and fragrant spices. Serve it with Thai sticky rice for an authentic taste of Thai cuisine.\n\n\n\nWhat is Thai beef tartare?\n\n\n\nRaw larb, also known as lab dip, koy nua, or larb dip, is a spicy raw beef salad from Thailand’s Isan region. \n\n\n\nThis dish combines minced beef, often with beef blood and bile, with toasted rice powder and spices, creating the bold flavors that are so distinctive of Lao and Isan cooking. You have been warned.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA \u201csalad\u201d?\n\n\n\nThis authentic Isan larb is no ordinary salad. Enriched with beef blood, it has a deep, rich flavor that is truly unique. The raw beef is so tender it almost melts in your mouth.\n\n\n\nFresh vegetables such as Thai eggplants and crunchy yardlong beans make the perfect accompaniments, adding brightness and crisp texture. And of course, a bamboo basket of sticky rice is essential!\n\n\n\nAlso try the recipe for chicken larb\n\n\n\nIt’s a regional staple, especially among adults\u2014often the dish of choice for taking a break during hard labor. Isan cuisine is known for its spicy flavors, and this Thai raw beef dish is no exception. Feel free to adjust the heat by changing the amount of Thai chili flakes used in this recipe.\n\n\n\nIs it safe to eat raw beef like this?\n\n\n\nYes, raw beef can be eaten when it is fresh, high-quality, and properly prepared, just as with classic French steak tartare. \n\n\n\nIn rural Isan villages, beef typically does not come from supermarkets. Instead, local butchers supply meat from their own cows, ensuring freshness and quality.\n\n\n\nIn Isan, you can order ready-to-use larb dip packets from the butcher\n\n\n\nMake sure your beef is fresh and unprocessed. If you have any doubts about the freshness or quality of the beef, it is best to play it safe and skip this recipe.\n\n\n\nThe main ingredients in Thai beef tartare\n\n\n\nBeef: The best cut of beef for raw beef larb is a lean cut with little fat, such as tenderloin. These cuts are tender and absorb the flavors of the dressing without overpowering them.\n\n\n\nBeef bile: A liquid produced by the liver and stored in the cow’s gallbladder. It gives the salad a distinctly bitter note.\n\n\n\nSalt: A pinch of salt enhances the beef’s natural flavor and balances the spices.\n\n\n\nMSG: Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer often used in Thai and Lao cuisine to deepen savory flavors.\n\n\n\nFish sauce: Fish sauce adds salty, umami richness. To make koy nua, choose a high-quality fish sauce that is not overly salty, such as Phu Quoc.\n\n\n\nThai chili flakes: Adjust the amount of chili powder to tailor the heat to your taste. Make it as mild or as fiery as you like.\n\n\n\nToasted rice powder: Khao khua is made by lightly toasting sticky rice, then grinding it into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. It gives the salad a nutty flavor and a pleasantly crunchy texture.\n\n\n\nGreen onions, culantro, cilantro: These are my fresh herbs of choice, but feel free to customize with your favorites, such as mint.\n\n\n\nBeef blood (optional): Beef blood is optional, but highly recommended, as it gives the salad a rich, slightly sweet flavor.\n\n\n\nIntestines (optional): Another traditional ingredient that enhances both flavor and texture. I used beef tripe, liver, and spleen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic Thai Beef Tartare (Larb Dip)\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t285 g beef (see notes)1 tablespoon fish sauce0.5 teaspoon MSG0.5 tablespoon toasted rice powder1.5 teaspoons Thai chili flakes10 g cilantro20 g green onions0.5 teaspoon salt1.5 tablespoons beef bile (optional)2 tablespoons beef blood (optional)10 g culantro42 g beef intestines (optional)\t\n\t\n\t\tSlice the beef intestines thinly into small pieces.Slice the beef against the grain into thin strips, then cut each strip on a bias into very thin slices for maximum tenderness. The goal is to finely slice the meat, not mince it.Combine the thinly sliced beef with the blood, salt, MSG, fish sauce, Thai chili flakes, toasted rice powder, and beef bile in a bowl. Mix well until the dressing is evenly distributed.Add the chopped green onions, cilantro, and culantro, then toss gently. Serve immediately.\t\n\t\n\t\tBeef: The best cut for raw beef larb is a lean, low-fat cut such as tenderloin. It is tender and absorbs the flavors of the dressing without overpowering them.\nMake sure your beef is fresh and unprocessed. If you have any doubts about its freshness or quality, err on the side of caution and do not prepare dishes such as Thai raw beef salad.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principalTha\u00eflandaise\t\n\n\n\n\n\nCulinary sources\n\n\n\nA delicious Thai cooking recipe contributed by Praew of the blog Hungry In Thailand.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132614"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132614\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}