Nam khao tod (crispy rice salad)
Delight in the crunch of Nam Khao Tod, a tasty crispy rice salad bursting with Thai flavors like lime, mint, and chili. A culinary adventure awaits!
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups cooked white jasmine rice (about 340g)
- 1 ½ tablespoons red curry paste (such as Maesri)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup white rice flour (about 50g), divided
- Neutral oil (such as grapeseed, peanut, or vegetable oil), for frying
- 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 (1 1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/8- x 1/8- x 1 1/2-inch sticks
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons chile jam (nam prik pao) (such as Pantai Norasingh Chili Paste)
- 1 ½ teaspoons red Thai chile powder, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- ½ cup packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 medium-size fresh green or red Thai chiles (less than0g), or more to taste, stemmed and finely chopped
- ¼ cup salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions:
- If your rice is cold, break it apart and spread it out evenly on a baking sheet. If your rice is freshly steamed, fluff it with a fork and spread it out evenly on a baking sheet. Let it dry uncovered for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
- Spread curry paste over the rice and sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, mix the rice thoroughly to coat each grain. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of rice flour over the rice mixture and continue mixing by hand, separating the grains by rubbing them together. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons of rice flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. The rice should have a very dry texture and not stick together.
- In a large Dutch oven or wok, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. To test if the oil is ready, drop in a grain of rice; if it floats and sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough. Working in batches, carefully add about 2/3 cup of the rice mixture to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the bubbles reduce and the rice turns a light golden brown, which typically takes 45 seconds to 1 minute and 15 seconds. Use a fine wire-mesh strainer to transfer the fried rice to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rice mixture. Allow the rice to cool completely, approximately 10 minutes.
- Place the onion and ginger in a medium bowl filled with cold water and let them sit for 10 minutes. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together fish sauce, chili jam, chili powder, and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add scallions, cilantro, lime juice, Thai chilies, onion, and ginger, tossing to coat. Add peanuts and crispy rice, tossing quickly until just mixed. Transfer the mixture to a platter or bowl. Garnish with extra cilantro. Serve immediately.
Summary:
- Calories: 2021 kcal
- Fat: 67 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Carbs: 319 g
- Potassium: 532 mg
- Magnesium: 116 mg