Chris’ Larb Mueng, Stef-style

"That kitchen, that house, is where I feel at 'home.' "

Story by Stef Choi, interview by Lola Milholland, recorded by Nancy Wong
Illustration by Stef Choi
Part of our Inheritance Stories Collective Cookbook, Volume 1

My name is Stef, and I was born on the eastside of Los Angeles in 1980. After living in Portland and Paris for some years, I returned right here to LA. I identify as an artist, a POC, and a daughter of immigrants. Lately I’ve been drawing daily comics, jogging in the hills and staircases in my neighborhood, watching slow dramatic movies, and meditating in my favorite sweatpants.  

The dish I chose is a Thai meat salad. There are a few different names for the dish I’m sharing. I was asking Chris, and he said it’s called Larb Mueng or Larb Chiang Mai. Others call it Larb Gai or Larb Moo, but I call it Limey Larb. 

I learned this dish from my dear friend Chris, who we call “Noodle.” I met Chris at Lola’s house where he was hosting Noodle Nights in their big kitchen. I had recently moved to Portland and was looking for a community. Each week Chris would make these exceptional Thai meals for whomever would show up. These dinners were so warm and inviting. It felt like being at a home I never knew. That kitchen, that house, is where I feel at “home.” More than even the house I grew up in!  When Chris cooks, he is so inviting, patient and open and wants to include you however you wanted to be included. 

Chris is from Echo Park. He is amazing. Chris is a very complex person with many facets. He has an ease with languages, a love of ballet and Viennese desserts; he’s an avid traveler. He also has a brawly, sassy side—he’s driven into oncoming traffic just to fuck with people, which I actually love. He made a Human Centipede costume that he wore to work on Halloween! He is a talented artist, incredibly funny, inviting, warm, and sensitive. He’s my favorite person to cook with. He is so funny, inclusive, and willing to teach. 

Chris made so many delicious meals for us, but the one I’m always craving is his larb. He makes a bright red larb that we all go crazy for. It requires a special spice blend that his mom brings back from her trips to Thailand. Knowing my love for larb, he told me about a limey, herby larb and recommended that I try it at Saap Coffee Shop in LA. I fell in love with it and asked Chris to write me a recipe. Sapp is an extension to Chris’ cooking life, a little cafe he grew up going to with his family. I think he learned this dish from his mom, who had a Thai catering business. 

I make this dish every two weeks; it’s in my regular rotation. It’s a meat salad that’s so delicious. It’s an amazing combo of fatty ground pork, loads of lime and a shit ton of herbs. It’s very bright, and it’s a strong flavor that you eat with raw salad or rice to offset the flavors. And the ground rice powder gives a yummy texture.  

In Stef fashion, I put in double or triple the amount of herbs. I went through this phase of drizzling olive oil over it, which is very “wrong,” but was great. I stopped doing it because Chris edited my recipe, suggesting that I add some tamarind paste at the end. I always thought that what it lacked was more fat, but the second I put in that tamarind, it was perfect and tasted right. 

I make this often because the ingredients are easily available to me. I live a block away from a Mexican grocery so I’m able to get cilantro, limes, mint, and everything I need. 

First, I toast some rice to make some rice powder. I use Jasmine or sticky rice, whatever I have on hand, about 3 tablespoons. I toast it in a cast iron, grind it in a mortar and pestle and set it aside. 

Then I make this limey, herby mixture, like a fruit punch! I mince some shallots and a lot of lime, maybe like a half a cup or a third a cup of lime juice. And I do a shit ton of herbs, maybe two cups of cilantro, two cups of mint, thai chillies, ground arbol chili flakes, 3 strands green onion chopped up, a couple tablespoons of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of sugar.  So you make this fruit punch, set it aside and cook the ground pork for 5 to 6 minutes. Just until it’s browned, but still pink inside—not too cooked. You fold in half of the limey fruit punch and the rice powder. Then I toss in a teaspoon of tamarind paste and it adds this lovely color. Then I move it off the stove and put the rest of the fruit punch in. Or herb punch I guess! I serve it with lettuce leaves or cabbage, and jasmine rice. 

It’s a fast, easy meal to make that hits all the things that I want. It’s porky, delicious and very bright. It makes me really happy to make it because it reminds me of Chris and that kitchen that makes me feel at “home.”