Larb (Lao:ລາບ; Thai:ลาบ, rtgs: lap, pronounced [lâːp], also spelled laap, larp, lahb or laab) is a type of Lao minced meat salad that is regarded as the national dish of Laos. It is also eaten in Isan, an area of Thailand where many people are of Laotian descent. Hmong people in Laos share the dish as well. Outside of Southeast Asia, larb is served in Lao, Thai, and Hmong communities in the U.S., France, and England. Local variants of larb also feature in the cuisines of the Tai peoples of Shan State, Burma, and Yunnan province, China. The word "larb", although seemingly a cognate of the Laotian and Thai words for "luck", actually comes from a Lanna (Northern Thai) word meaning "to mince meat".