Laab Neua

Ingredients

 * 1 lb Ground beef
 * 2 tb Fish sauce (nam pla)
 * 6 Shallots, thinly sliced chopped
 * 2 tb Ground roasted sticky rice**; ground (prik khee no pon)
 * 1/4 c Lime juice
 * 2 tb Scallion (spring onion),
 * 2 tb Cilantro leaves, chopped
 * 1 t Thai red chili pepper,
 * 15 Mint leaves

Directions

 * 1) The blend of fresh herbs and lime juice makes this salad very refreshing. This laab recipe was taken to Bangkok by the Lao people of the Northeast and is one of the favorite dishes of Thailand. Other meats such as chicken or pork can also be used.
 * 2) Combine the ground beef with the lime juice, fish sauce, galangal powder and shallots. Heat a skillet and cook the ground beef mixture on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the beef is cooked. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chopped green onion and cilantro and the ground roasted rice. Mix thoroughly so that everything is well combined.
 * 3) Remove to a serving plate, spoon the ground pepper on the side of the plate if desired, and garnish with the mint leaves. Serve with an accompaniment of raw vegetables, such as long string beans or snake beans, sliced cabbage, green leaf lettuce/Chinese lettuce, basil leaves, and swamp cabbage or spinach.