Known for its bold and harmonious flavors, it is a cornerstone of Lao cuisine, often accompanied by sticky rice and green papaya salad.

Originating in Laos, larb has influenced the cuisines of neighboring regions, particularly northeastern and northern Thailand (Isan and Lanna), which share historical ties with the former Lan Xang Kingdom.

[11] Another French visitor, Doctor Estrade, who arrived in 1893, described larb as a Lao main dish made with boiled fish, chili and ground roasted sticky rice.

[12] Depending on the method of preparation, it may be known by different names, including nam tok, goi/saa, yum/sua, and can be made with beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, fish, pork, shrimp, game meat, mushroom or even algae.

The women of Laotian high society considered it an honorable task and great opportunity to display their culinary talents to prepare laab for their esteemed guests.

As tradition goes, the head of the family would start with malaxating the mincemeat – softening and incorporating it with a cupful of stock from the soup, then adding the toasted ground rice, pepper powder, garlic, salt, padaek sauce and finally chopped aromatics before serving.

The meat can be either raw or cooked; it is minced and mixed with chili, mint, roughly ground toasted rice (khao khoua) and, optionally, assorted vegetables according to personal preference.

Padaek juice is carefully added to the mixture, and stirred to a desired consistency, before finishing off with the finely chopped galangal and other aromatic herbs.

[17] Lanna people often eat laab during auspicious celebrations such as the new year or Songkran, housewarming, weddings, ordination, and other Buddhist festivities.

Instead, the northern Thai version uses a mix of dried spices as flavoring and seasoning which includes ingredients such as cumin, cloves, long pepper, star anise, prickly ash seeds and cinnamon amongst others, derived from the location of northern Thailand's Lan Na Kingdom on one of the spice routes to China,[32] in addition to ground dried chillies, and, in the case of laab made with pork or chicken, the blood of the animal.

The risks from eating raw meat include contracting trichinosis, caused by an infectious worm, along with fatal bacterial or potentially rabies infection.