Lao Crispy Rice Salad – Nam Khao

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.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of jasmine rice, cooked, and cooled
• 2 whole eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups of ground pork, cooked, and cooled
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 whole lime
• 1/2 cup of roasted peanuts
• green cabbage leaves
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp red chili flakes (reduce for less heat)
• 1/2 cup of nam, fermented pork, chopped
• Thai bird chilies, optional
• 2 cups of cooking oil

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.

The result is amazing. My wife fell in love with this dish. The fresh herbs, the awesome crunchiness of the rice and peanuts, and when folded into the cabbage leaf and drizzle with a bit of lime juice, need I say any more? It always warms up very nicely for any leftovers, and who doesn’t love that during a busy work week!

If you are looking for adventure, give this one a shot. It is really up there with one of my top five lettuce wraps and Asian recipes.

Lao Crispy Rice Salad - Nam Khao

Dax Phillips

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Lao, Thai

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups of jasmine rice cooked, and cooled
• 2 whole eggs beaten with 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups of ground pork cooked, and cooled
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of shallots thinly sliced
• 1 whole lime
• 1/2 cup of roasted peanuts
• green cabbage leaves
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp red chili flakes reduce for less heat
• 1/2 cup of nam fermented pork, chopped
• Thai bird chilies optional
• 2 cups of cooking oil

Instructions

 

• 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.