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Nam Khao | Source: Instagram/katyodonovan
Nam Khao Recipe Unveiled — Discover How to Make This Lao Crispy Rice Salad
By
Milla Sigaba
Feb 10, 202405:30 A.M.
Indulge in the mix of flavors and textures of Nam Khao, a delicious and light meal originating from Lao. Enjoy it at home with this simple recipe.
Nam Khao is a crispy rice salad dish consisting of a mouth-watering blend of seasoned and fried crispy rice balls, herbs, peanuts, and more. The light meal originated in the small village of Thadeua in Laos and has since been enjoyed across Asia and the world.
You too can indulge in this Asian dish that perfectly encapsulates the bursting flavors of Laotian cuisine with this simple Nam Khao recipe below.
Nam Khao Recipe
Main Ingredients:
- rice balls:
- 5 cups Jasmine rice
- 1 bulb minced garlic
- 2 large minced shallots
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup crab meat (Optional)
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- canola or vegetable oil
- sour pork (optional)
Seasonings:
- juice of a whole fresh lime
- 2/3 cup roasted and crushed peanuts
- 2/3 cup chopped cilantro stems and leaves
- 2/3 cup thinly sliced scallion
- 2 pieces Thai chili (aka bird's eye chili)
- 2-3 tbsp fish sauce
Accompaniments:
- butter leaf lettuce
- green leaf lettuce
- romaine lettuce
- fresh mint
- purple perilla (shiso) leaf
- Thai chili (aka bird's eye chili)
Directions:
1. Wash the Jasmine rice in warm water three times, then place it in a large pot over high heat. Once the rice comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a low setting, cover the pot, and allow the rice to cook for 15 minutes.
2. Ensure the rice is cooked after 15 minutes, then use a fork to fluff it. Lay the rice on a baking tray with parchment paper and allow it to cool for an hour.
3. Once the rice has cooled, whisk two eggs with the Thai red curry paste, sugar, garlic, shallots, garlic powder, and paprika.
Whisk two eggs, Thai red curry paste, sugar, garlic, shallots, garlic powder, and paprika to create a rich red mixture. | Source: YouTube/Saeng Douangdara
4. Place the cooled rice into a large bowl, topped with the chopped cilantro and shredded coconut.
5. Coat the rice with the Thai red curry paste mixture from step 3 and mix the ingredients with your hands until they are well incorporated.
6. Grab a generous handful of rice and apply pressure as you gently mold it into a rice ball.
Use your hands to mold the Jasmine rice into balls. | Source: YouTube/Saeng Douangdara
7. Once you've formed rice balls with all the rice, preheat Canola or vegetable oil at 350°F in a pot. Fry as many balls that can fit in your pot as you can for 5 -6 minutes or until golden and crispy.
8. Once you've fried the rice balls, allow them to cool and prepare a bed of butter leaf, green leaf, romaine lettuce, fresh mint, and purple perilla (shiso) leaf.
Fry the rice balls for 5 -6 minutes or until golden and crispy. | Source: YouTube/Saeng Douangdara
9. Once the rice balls have cooled, break them into small pieces in a bowl and coat them in fish sauce, the juice of fresh lime, roasted and crushed peanuts, and sliced scallion. You can also choose between adding sour pork or crab meat.
Break the fried rice balls into smaller pieces. | Source: YouTube/Saeng Douangdara
10. Mix the ingredients well, then plate the mixture over the bed of lettuce you prepared in step 8.
11. Garnish the Nam Khao with Thai chili and enjoy!
Now that you know how to make Nam Khao at home, you can savor the taste of this Laotian dish anytime the craving strikes.
For a refreshing Asian salad that's easy to make, try this Bò Tái Chanh recipe.
