recipes

Impossible™ Larb

Imperfect is delighted to finally offer plant-based meat from Impossible Foods to our customers. To celebrate this partnership and help you get cooking, we’re sharing some of our favorite recipes, like this larb, featuring the Impossible™ Burger.

This Lao salad is refreshing and full of contrasting flavors and textures. This may be one of our favorite Impossible recipes simply because it’s surprising and delightful on so many levels.

Recipe and photos by Pepper Thai (@pepperthai2) and Chef Paul Barbosa (@chefpaulbarbosa)

Makes six servings of Impossible™ larb.

Ingredients

1 package Impossible Burger
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 green onions
3 Tbsp cilantro
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 c uncooked sticky rice
1/4 tsp chili powder
3/2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 red onion
3 Tbsp mint
Salt to taste
Lettuce cups (optional)

Instructions

Make roasted rice powder: Place uncooked sticky rice in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until grains are toasted and deep golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer cooled, toasted rice to a spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder. If necessary, work in batches. The powder should resemble fine coffee grounds.
Cook the Impossible: In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium high heat. Using your hands, break up the Impossible Burger into small crumbles. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the Impossible crumbles and season lightly with salt. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes or until the Impossible crumbles are browned and cooked through.
Add seasoning: When the crumbles have browned, add chili powder and 1½ tablespoons of roasted rice powder. Thinly slice green onions and red onion and add to the crumbles. Mix in the lime juice, and fish sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, and remove from heat. (Make it plant-based with plant-based fish sauce!)
Assemble larb: Once the mixture has cooled slightly, stir in cilantro and mint leaves. Eat as is or fill lettuce cups and garnish with mint and cilantro.
Serve, share, and enjoy!

Larb Recipe Notes and Variations

Larb is one of those dishes you need to taste as you go to make sure all the flavors balance out in a way that you like. For example, you could add more mint or some chopped cilantro if you want an even more refreshing final dish or try a squeeze more lime for tangy contrast.
If raw red onion isn’t your thing, try soaking the sliced onion in water for ten minutes before adding them. This mellows out their flavor and takes away the harsh “bite” of raw onions.
If you like spicy food, try using some minced jalapeño or serrano chili instead of chili powder. Remember that you can easily make fresh chilis less spicy by removing the seeds before adding them to the larb.