Crispy Rice Salad

Em of Em's Real Food has made some delicious pics for me, and is constantly surprising me with her mouthwatering recipes using Trouble & Spice. 

While there's a definite chill in the air, this little Australian starts dreaming of the tropics - so let's travel there for a fresh lunch! Add in some fried cauliflower or crispy tofu to make it a family meal.

How much easier could it be? 

Bake the rice in the oven or air fryer with some curry paste and oil until it is super crispy. In the meantime, make a delicious, flavorful dressing and cut a lot of fresh vegetables and herbs. Once the rice is crispy, combine everything together into an amazing salad.

Laotian crispy rice salad

The original version of this dish comes from Laos and is called Nam Khao. This is not a totally authentic version, but it is delicious and easy to pull together. 

Before we get you too excited - you need cold cooked rice for this, so quickly get some cooking now, then let it cool down, and get it fridge cold. 

Ingredients: 

For the crispy rice

• 300 g cooked rice
• 2 tbsp Thai (red) curry paste (Koh Thai is vegan)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (or oil from Yum Phrik!)

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp Yum Phrik
• 2 cm ginger, grated
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

For the salad

• 1 red onion
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 red or green chili thinly sliced - optional
• 2 leaves of Chinese cabbage
• 1 large handful of salted peanuts
• 2 handfuls of mixed herbs: mint, coriander and basil

Method

• Preheat the oven or airfryer to 180 degrees.
• With clean hands mix the curry paste and oil through the rice to coat all the grains.
• Spread the rice on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake it:
• Oven: 20-25 minutes until super crispy.
• Airfryer:  8-10 minutes.

• Stir the rice halfway through the baking time.

Salad with crispy rice

In the meantime, put the Yum Phrik in a bowl andadd the grated ginger and minced garlic. Add the soy sauce and mix everything well.

Slice the red onion in half rings, the cucumber in cubes and the cabbage in strips. Chop the herbs coarsely.

To plate:

Divide the vegetables between 2 bowls. Add the crispy rice. Divide the herbs, dressing and peanuts between the bowls and serve immediately.

Take a pic, tag me and Em, and enjoy!