Lao Crispy Rice Salad – Nam Khao
- Serves
6
Author Notes
I was first introduced to nam khao while living in Dallas, Texas many years ago. It was served at a Thai/Lao restaurant, and when I read the ingredients, I could not resist. I was being adventurous in dining when living in Texas. The city was loaded with authentic Mexican food, Vietnamese, Thai, and middle eastern cuisine, and I was all in when it came to eating. It was this dish that blew my mind though. After eating nam khao, I researched what it was all about, and realized that the funky and delicious nam was actually a fermented pork sausage, along with the khao, or rice for that matter, that was crispy rice. Basically a crispy rice salad with tons of herbs, chilies, and loaded with awesome flavor. You are going to love this recipe, I guarantee it. —Dax Phillips
Ingredients
3 cups
Jasmine rice, cooked, and cooled
2
whole eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups
ground pork, cooked and cooled
3 tablespoons
Thai red curry paste
1 cup
unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon
palm sugar
1 teaspoon
salt
1/2 cup
shallots, thinly sliced
1
whole lime
1/2 cup
roasted peanuts
1
head of green cabbage, leaves removed
1/2 cup
fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup
fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon
red chili flakes
1/2 cup
Nam, fermented pork, chopped
2
Thai bird chilies, optional
2 cups
canola oil
Directions
- Start by combining your cooled rice, the eggs with soy sauce, curry paste, salt, sugar, cooked ground pork, and coconut into a mixing bowl. Making sure everything is combined, form into baseball sized balls.
- Next, heat the oil and let it come up to about 350 degrees. Add one ball at a time, and cook until completely golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and let it rest on a paper lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Repeat with the remaining balls.
During this time, prepare the remaining ingredients into a serving bowl.
Take the crispy rice balls, and break apart into bite-sized pieces, adding them into the mixing bowl. Once all of the balls have been taken apart, mix everything together.
- To plate, add a mound of the nam khao to a serving plate, and serve alongside cabbage or lettuce leaves, fresh lime, and whole Thai bird chili peppers.