Vegetarian Larb Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss cauliflower with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and well browned, 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly; chop into pea-size pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add chiles, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, and lime juice; toss well.
• Meanwhile, place rice in a medium skillet and set over medium heat. Toast, shaking pan constantly to keep rice moving, until evenly browned, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool. Grind in spice mill to a semifine powder.
• Toss scallions, pea shoots, cilantro, mint, and 2 tsp. toasted rice powder into cauliflower mixture; season with salt. Serve with cucumber, lettuce, and remaining rice powder to make lettuce cups.

Steps:

• Heat the sesame oil.
• Sauté the crumbled tempeh. Turn off heat.
• Add soy sauce, lime, chilies, onion, rice powder and mint.
• Play with the proportions. I like mine more lime-y and hot than this but I start out this way.
• Serve on a bed of lettuce and cucumber or eat like lettuce wraps or in Napa cabbage leaves.

Steps:

• Make the toasted rice powder: Heat a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the rice and stir constantly for 4 to 6 minutes until golden, with a nutty aroma. Transfer rice to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind until it is a coarse powder. (You don't want it too fine; some texture is nice.) You should have about 3 1/2 tablespoons. Set rice powder aside.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and red-pepper flakes; whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
• Crumble the tofu into small chunks and place in a large bowl.
• Heat the medium skillet over medium-high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the lemongrass and shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the tofu, along with the lime dressing, rice powder, makrut lime leaves, herbs and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• To serve, spoon the tofu larb into the lettuce leaves and garnish with crispy fried shallots.