Spicy Salmon Salad (Laab Salmon) ลาบปลาแซลมอน

Pailin Chongchitnant • Sep 30, 2016

Jump to video!


Every time I had salmon sashimi, I'd always think to myself, "This would be SO good if I laab it!" So finally I tried out my culinary dream, and it's even better than I thought it would be! Spicy, herbaceous, fresh, light, healthy, gluten-free, not to mention it is a show stopper when you bring it out to the table!

In this video I also review how to make toasted rice powder (or what I call "magic powder") which is the key ingredient in a laab. Most importantly, make sure you use good quality, sushi-grade salmon that is super fresh for this dish!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

laab salmon

Spicy Salmon Salad (Laab Salmon) ลาบปลาแซลมอน


Ingredients

Toasted Rice Powder

  • At least 1 Tbsp of Thai glutinous rice or jasmine rice (see note)
  • Kaffir lime leaves, about 1 leaf per 2 Tbsp of rice (optional, see note)

Note: You only need 1 Tbsp of toasted rice powder for this recipe, but I like to make a bit extras so I can keep it for another use. To flavour your rice, you can also use thinly sliced lemongrass and/or galangal.

Dressing

  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Lime juice
  • 2 - 3 tsp water (if serving on its own, use 3 tsp, if serving with rice or lettuce, use 2)
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
  • 2 inches lemongrass, very thinly sliced
  • Roasted chili flakes, to taste (see note)

Salad

  • 175g sushi-grade raw salmon
  • 3  sprigs cilantro or 2 leaves sawtooth coriander
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 4 - 5 mint leaves, julienned
  • 1 small sprig dill, picked into small pieces (optional)
  • 2  Tbsp red onion or shallots, short julienne
  • Red peppers, short julienne (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp toasted rice powder

Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use


Instructions

Toasted rice powder: In a dry wok or saute pan, combine the rice and the kaffir lime leaves (or any herbs you're using). Turn the heat to medium high and stir the rice constantly until the grains are deep golden brown and the herbs are dry. Transfer 1 Tbsp of the rice and a small piece of the herbs to a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder and pound or blitz until you have a fairly fine powder, but still with a little grittiness. (Do not grind any more than you are using. Keep the remaining toasted rice in an airtight container for future use.)

Make the dressing:  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Assemble:

Slice the salmon thinly and arrange the pieces flat on a plate, making sure the pieces are touching.

Combine the herbs, onion and red bell pepper in a small bowl.

Stir the toasted rice powder into the dressing, then pour most of the dressing over the herbs, reserving a little bit for a final drizzle.

Toss the herbs and place on top of the salmon, arranging it however you like. Pour the reserved dressing over the rest of the salmon. Tip: you don't need to use all of the dressing if it looks like too much; you can always add more later.

Garnish with some extra herbs and red onion, then serve immediately. (The lime juice will continue to "cook" the salmon like a ceviche if you don't serve it quickly, so don't assemble the dish until ready to serve!)

Join us on Patreon for bonus content and rewards!


By Pailin Chongchitnant 07 May, 2022
Tom yum goong maybe the most famous soup of Thailand, but its milder creamier sister, tom kha gai , is my personal favourite. This comforting Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. It's so easy yet so loveable that when someone asks, "I'm new to Thai food, what should I try/make first?" Tom kha gai is my answer.
By Pailin Chongchitnant 06 May, 2022
If you love mangoes, and you love mango desserts, Mango Royale, aka Mango Float, is an absolute must-try; right after mango and sticky rice , of course! It's a frozen Filipino dessert that takes advantage of peak-of-the-season mangoes, and uses only 5 ingredients. There's no baking involved, and it's so easy it's essentially fool-proof!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 22 Apr, 2022
I LOVE all kinds of basil, but I don't love how quickly it goes bad and that it doesn't freeze well. So I came up with this recipe as a way to use up any amount of basil you have on hand . It's an easy and versatile sauce that only uses pantry staples, and can be stored in the fridge for at least a week. Reheat it and pour onto any cooked protein, or use it as a stir fry sauce - or heck, you can even use it as gravy for your mashed potatoes. It can also be made vegan. The possibilities are endless!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 08 Apr, 2022
Imagine this: soft and creamy ice cream bars that you didn't need to whip or churn. All you have to do is cook the ice cream base, pour it into a mold, then cut it into pieces. And it's so soft your teeth will glide right through it as you take a bite, and it's wonderfully chewy. Yes, chewy.
By Pailin Chongchitnant 25 Mar, 2022
I wanted a fried rice recipe that really celebrates the flavours of chilies - not just their heat. This fried rice features not one, not two, but three different types of chilies, combined with the fragrance of Thai basil to tie it all together! And no, it doesn't make this dish overwhelmingly spicy, and you can indeed customize the heat level while still preserving all the delicious chili flavour. It's not something I created out of thin air, but a traditional Thai dish (with a couple of tweaks from me)!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 08 Mar, 2022
If you love cooking Asian food, oyster sauce is probably already in your kitchen. But do you know if the one you have is a "good one”? And is the expensive oyster sauce you bought (or didn't buy) worth the splurge?
By Pailin Chongchitnant 03 Mar, 2022
With over 3 million views on YouTube, this recipe is one of the most popular, and an OG, on Hot Thai Kitchen. This world-famous tom yum soup is universally loved; and with this authentic recipe I promise you can make it as good as, if not better than, the ones in restaurants. It's one of the first dishes I learned to make as a child because it's so easy, making this a great first Thai dish to try!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 01 Mar, 2022
Thai green curry chicken is my most popular recipe on the YouTube channel with over 4 million views . If you want a completely authentic recipe, and one that maximizes deliciousness, this is it right here. It is one of the best known dishes of Thai cuisine, and despite its complex flavours, it is actually quite easy to make at home. It's also gluten free, and adaptable for vegans!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 21 Feb, 2022
Pad see ew is one of the most well-known and well-loved Thai dishes, but most people only know of the more common version of pad see ew that uses fresh wide rice noodles (ho fun). This version however uses thin rice vermicelli, and it's the one that I actually grew up eating in Thailand. It’s an incredibly fast dish to make; from the time I get up to cook to the time I sit down to eat, it takes only 20 minutes! You can even watch me prep and cook it all up in real time in the video tutorial below just to see how fast it really is!
By Pailin Chongchitnant 07 Feb, 2022
Easy, delicious, and versatile; what else could you ask for in a chicken recipe? Lemongrass chicken is a staple menu item in Vietnamese restaurants in Canada, and one that my husband gets all the time - which is why I was inspired to recreate it. It is so quick to prepare, kid-friendly, can last you the whole week in the fridge (yay meal prep), and you can grill or broil it!
More Posts
Share by: