Home > Recipes > New Year's Eve recipes > Mini larb buns

Mini larb buns

Name: Mini larb buns
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: PT15-20M
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Makes 12
Cuisine: Thai recipes
Ingredients: For the buns; 375g plain flour, plus extra to dust; ½ tsp fine salt; 7g sachet dried yeast; 20g caster sugar; 2 medium eggs; 1 medium egg yolk; 150g natural yogurt; 50ml warm water; Vegetable oil for greasing; For the filling; 1 tbsp jasmine rice; 1 garlic clove; 2cm piece ginger; 3 lemongrass stalks, white parts only; 6 lime leaves; 1-2 red bird’s eye chillies; 100g raw peeled prawns; 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil; 100g pork mince; 1½ tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp caster sugar; Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime; 15g coriander, finely chopped; 15g mint, finely chopped; 3 spring onions, finely chopped; For the glaze; 1 medium egg, beaten with 1 tbsp whole milk; Sesame seeds to sprinkle

By: Chef and restaurateur, Ravinder Bhogal

Published: 11 Dec 24
Updated: 31 Dec 24

Ravinder Bhogal’s mini larb buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus plenty of aromatics. Try them as New Year’s or dinner party starter.

Ravinder says: “These wonderful buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus chilli, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, herbs and lime. You can sub in any ground meat, chopped mushrooms or even a plant-based mince.”

Serve alongside Thai basil gimlets for cocktails and nibbles.

About the chef Ravinder Bhogal is the chef/owner of Jikoni in London’s Marylebone. It serves food inspired by Ravinder’s background (born in Kenya to Indian parents) and celebrates the cookery of the UK’s diverse immigrant cultures. She’s written three successful cookery books, writes for various publications and is a regular on TV cookery shows. Follow Ravinder on Instagram @cookinboots

Medium
December 2024

Test kitchen approved

Makes 12
Hands-on time 40 min, plus proving and cooling. Oven time 15-20 min

Ravinder Bhogal’s mini larb buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus plenty of aromatics. Try them as New Year’s or dinner party starter.

Serve alongside Thai basil gimlets for cocktails and nibbles.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 185kcals
Fat: 4.5g (1.3g saturated)
Protein: 8.6g
Carbohydrates: 27g (2.9g sugars)
Fibre: 1.4g
Salt: 0.9g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Before you start

make ahead Make the filling the day before and keep in the fridge. You can also fill and glaze the buns, then chill for up to 6 hours to slow the prove before baking.

Before you start

make ahead Make the filling the day before and keep in the fridge. You can also fill and glaze the buns, then chill for up to 6 hours to slow the prove before baking.

Ingredients

For the buns

375g plain flour, plus extra to dust
½ tsp fine salt
7g sachet dried yeast
20g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 medium egg yolk
150g natural yogurt
50ml warm water
Vegetable oil for greasing

For the filling

1 tbsp jasmine rice
1 garlic clove
2cm piece ginger
3 lemongrass stalks, white parts only
6 lime leaves
1-2 red bird’s eye chillies
100g raw peeled prawns
1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
100g pork mince
1½ tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
15g coriander, finely chopped
15g mint, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped

For the glaze

1 medium egg, beaten with 1 tbsp whole milk
Sesame seeds to sprinkle

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

To make the dough, sift the flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached (or a mixing bowl) and make a well in the centre. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolk, yogurt and water, then pour it into the well. Mix at a medium speed for 5 minutes until you have a rough, sticky dough (or knead by hand for 10 minutes). It’s sticky at first but don’t be put off – if you’re working by hand it helps to let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then continue kneading. Once it’s elastic and smooth, put it in a greased bowl, cover and leave to prove at room temperature for 1 hour until doubled in size.
While the dough proves, make the filling. Toast the rice in a hot dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes until dark golden. Roughly crush using a pestle and mortar and set aside. Put the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves and chillies in a food processor and whizz until everything is finely chopped (alternatively you can do this by hand). Scrape out into a bowl, then add the prawns to the food processor and finely chop them too.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until just browned. Add the finely chopped lemongrass mixture and cook for 1 minute, then tip in the prawns and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, lime zest and juice, herbs, spring onions and toasted rice, stir-fry for just a few seconds, then set aside to cool.

Once doubled in size, tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 equal pieces, about 60g each. Roll into smooth balls using your hand in a claw shape, then cover with a damp cloth for 20 minutes.
Take a dough ball and flatten it into a rough circle, around 7mm thick. Add 2 heaped tbsp of the larb filling to the centre. Pull the edges up and over to enclose it, then roll the dough again to form a smooth ball. Place on a lined baking sheet, then repeat until all the balls are filled. Brush with the egg and milk glaze, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Leave to prove for 30 minutes while you heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve warm.