Nam Khao (Crispy Rice Salad)

Serves: 4

laotian peanut rice salad

Ingredients

Rice Balls

  • 370 g jasmine rice
  • 30.0 g Thai red curry paste
  • 2.5 g ginger, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely chopped
  • 30.0 ml fish sauce
  • 1.25 g white pepper
  • 5.0 g light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 8.0 g cornstarch
  • canola oil for deep frying

Dressing

  • 30.0 ml fish sauce
  • 25.0 g sugar
  • 30.0 ml lime juice
  • 15.0 ml rice vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
  • 1 cilantro stem (no leaves), finely chopped
  • 1 Thai chilli, finely sliced
  • 79.2 ml boiling water

Salad

  • 2 Thai Nam sausages (Som Moo), fermented
  • 39.6 g mint, roughly chopped
  • 39.6 g cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 39.6 g Thai basil (holy basil), roughly chopped
  • 28.8 g roasted peanuts, unsalted
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water
  • 30.0 g fried shallots
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 3 Thai chillies, finely sliced (optional)
  • lettuce leaves for wrapping (optional)

Instructions

Rice Balls

  1. Cook the rice until done. Remove from heat and spread into a layer on a sheet pan (loosely covered with paper towels) to cool and dry for about 2 hours.
  2. When the rice is cooled, mix together all the rice ball ingredients with the rice (except the oil).
  3. Wet your hands in a little water and create small balls (about 2 inches) with the rice mix. Refrigerate until needed.
  4. Heat the oil (about 3 inches deep) until hot (around 160°C / 160 °C). Gently add 5-6 balls into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat in batches.

Dressing

  1. Combine all dressing ingredients except water, then pour in the freshly boiled water and whisk. Leave to cool completely.

Salad

  1. Using your hands, break up the cooled rice balls into rustic pieces into a large salad bowl.
  2. Toss together the rice pieces with all the other salad ingredients. Pour over a little dressing and mix well.

Notes

Serve with lettuce leaves to wrap spoonfuls of salad. On the side, extra dressing with lime wedges and sliced tomato and cucumber.