Entree: Laos – Vientiane & Central Laos – ນ້ຳເຂົ້າ ➤ Nam Khao (Crispy fried sticky-rice salad tossed with fermented pork, herbs, peanuts, and lime-chili dressing)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 20 min

Total 45 min

Ingredients

- 3 cups (600 g) cooked glutinous (sticky) rice, preferably day-old and chilled
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable oil for frying
- 6 oz (170 g) fermented pork (som moo), minced
- 1/2 cup (75 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (70 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, chopped
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, about 3 oz (85 g)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) shallots, thinly sliced and fried crisp
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 small bird’s eye chile, finely chopped (or 1 tsp / 5 g chile flakes) adjust to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted rice powder (khao khua) or substitute 1 tbsp (6 g) toasted rice flour (optional)
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) coarse ground black pepper
- Lettuce leaves for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the fried rice crumbles: break the chilled sticky rice into small loose clumps. Heat 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) oil in a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, deep-fry the rice clumps until golden-brown and crisp, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and use a spoon or your hands to crumble into bite-sized pieces. Add more oil as needed.
2. Crisp the shallots: in a small skillet, heat 1/2 cup (120 ml) oil over medium heat. Fry the thinly sliced shallots until golden and crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve the oil for frying other components if needed.
3. Cook the fermented pork: heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the reserved oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced fermented pork and sauté until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 4–5 minutes. Drain any excess oil and let cool slightly.
4. Make the dressing: whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, chopped chile, and black pepper in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust for balance of salty-sour-sweet.
5. Combine salad: in a large mixing bowl, combine the fried rice crumbles, cooked fermented pork, roasted peanuts, scallions, cilantro, mint, and toasted rice powder if using. Pour the dressing over and toss gently but thoroughly to coat. Add fried shallots and reserve a small handful for garnish.
6. Plate and serve: arrange lettuce leaves on a platter if using, mound the Nam Khao on top, and garnish with remaining fried shallots and extra chopped peanuts. Serve immediately so the rice stays crisp.
7. To store and re-crisp: keep components separate if making ahead. Re-crisp cooled fried rice in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes before assembling.