The northern Thai version of larb — fundamentally different from the Isaan larb (Entry T-09) in its spice mixture (a dry-roasted paste of dried chillies, galangal, lemongrass, and shrimp paste known as phrik laab), which transforms the preparation from a lime-dominated fresh preparation into a deeper, earthier, more complex one. Northern larb uses the blood of the animal as a binding element in the traditional versions; contemporary versions use the same spice mixture without blood. Thompson devotes considerable attention in *Thai Food* to this distinction between the northern and Isaan schools.
**Phrik laab (northern larb spice paste):** - Dried chillies, dried galangal, dried lemongrass, dried kaffir lime zest, dried coriander root, white peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin — all dry-toasted individually and ground to a fine powder. - Shrimp paste: toasted, incorporated into the spice powder. - This dried spice paste, ground fine, is the primary flavouring of northern larb — it is used in place of (or in addition to) fresh lime juice, producing a preparation that is deeply spiced rather than fresh-acid. **The preparation:** 1. Cook minced duck (or pork, chicken, or offal) briefly in a dry pan — just past raw. 2. Add phrik laab spice paste generously. Toss while still warm. 3. Season with fish sauce, a small quantity of lime juice (less than in Isaan larb — the spice paste provides most of the complexity). 4. Add toasted rice powder (Entry T-09). 5. Add shallots and herbs: spring onion, coriander, mint, and dried chilli flakes. 6. Serve with sticky rice (Entry T-12) and fresh vegetables. Decisive moment: The phrik laab powder quantity — it should be generous enough that its spice depth is the primary flavour of the preparation. Thompson's northern larb is a darker, earthier, more complex preparation than the Isaan version precisely because of this spice paste — underdosing it produces a version indistinguishable from Isaan larb.
*Thai Food* (2002); *Thai Street Food* (2010)