# Tofu Laab

This vegan take on the traditional Laotian and Thai dish Laab features crumbled extra-firm tofu that absorbs a spicy, citrusy sauce, with toasted ground rice adding aroma and thickness.

- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 20 min
- Cuisine: Thai
- Category: Drink
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 3 tablespoons uncooked glutinous (sticky) or jasmine rice
- 2 (14-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable
- 1 lemongrass stem, outer layer removed, tender stem finely chopped
- 1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 makrut lime leaves (optional), thinly sliced
- 1 cup mixed soft herbs, such as mint, Thai basil, basil, cilantro and chopped scallions
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
- 0.25 cup store-bought crispy fried shallots or onions
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 3 tablespoons dark or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 0.5 teaspoon or 1/2 to 1 red chile, such as bird’s eye, finely chopped red-pepper flakes or 1/2 to 1 red chile, such as bird





































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































V. The dressing is lovely but wasted on tofu that wasn’t particularly tasty. Heed this advice-buy super delicious tofu if you’re going to spend 90 minutes of your life on this dish.

## Instructions

1. Heat a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the rice to the skillet and stir constantly for 4 to 6 minutes until golden and aromatic.
3. Transfer the toasted rice to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind until it forms a coarse powder (approximately 3 1/2 tablespoons).
4. Set the rice powder aside.
5. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes.
6. Whisk the dressing ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Crumble the drained and patted dry tofu into small chunks and place it in a large bowl.
8. Heat the medium skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
9. Add the finely chopped lemongrass and thinly sliced shallot to the skillet.
10. Cook the lemongrass and shallot, stirring constantly, until softened and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
11. Remove the cooked lemongrass and shallot from heat and add them to the crumbled tofu.
12. Add the prepared lime dressing, toasted rice powder, thinly sliced makrut lime leaves (optional), mixed soft herbs, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the tofu mixture.
13. Mix all ingredients together and taste, adding more salt if needed.
14. To serve, spoon the tofu laab into separated butter lettuce leaves.
15. Garnish the tofu laab with store-bought crispy fried shallots or onions.

## Equipment

- skillet
- mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- small bowl
- large bowl

## Tips

- For more spice, top with sliced fresh chiles.
- Crispy shallots bring crunch, but chopped, roasted peanuts also work.
- Eat with lettuce leaves for a light meal or with sticky/regular rice for a more substantial meal.
- Makrut lime leaves and crispy fried shallots are optional and can be omitted if unavailable.

## Source

- Original video: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022299-tofu-laab
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/37072087-6216-4cf8-be43-22ef6aa53fcb
- Extracted: 2025-12-16

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt