Name: Sunda’s crisp rice salad (nam khao)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 600 gm cooked jasmine rice (300gm uncooked), cooled; 50 gm (2/3 cup) desiccated coconut; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 egg lightly beaten; Coarsely chopped mint and coriander, to serve; Curry paste; 50 ml vegetable oil; 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped; 25 gm (1/3 cup) desiccated coconut; 25 gm galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped; 20 gm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped; 2 long red chillies, coarsely chopped; 15 gm fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced; 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp tamarind purée (see note); 1 cup chopped coriander, including washed roots; 5 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced; 2 small fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced; 2 lemongrass stalks (white part only), thinly sliced; 1 tbsp coarsely grated dark palm sugar; 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

Sunda’s crisp rice salad (nam khao)

It's the Melbourne restaurant's simplified version of the Lao-style salad, with crisp and crunch from the deep-fried jasmine rice.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

45M

Cook

20M

Total

1H 5M

“This is a simpler version of a Lao-style rice salad,” says Khanh Nguyen from Sunda. “It’s great served as a side dish.” The curry paste makes double what you need, but the remainder can be frozen for later.

Ingredients

600 gm cooked jasmine rice (300gm uncooked), cooled

50 gm (2/3 cup) desiccated coconut

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp caster sugar

1 egg lightly beaten

Coarsely chopped mint and coriander, to serve

Curry paste

50 ml vegetable oil

1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped

25 gm (1/3 cup) desiccated coconut

25 gm galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped

20 gm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 long red chillies, coarsely chopped

15 gm fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp tamarind purée (see note)

1 cup chopped coriander, including washed roots

5 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced

2 small fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced

2 lemongrass stalks (white part only), thinly sliced

1 tbsp coarsely grated dark palm sugar

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

Method

1.For curry paste, process ingredients and 1 tsp salt in a food processor until smooth (makes about 1½ cups). Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 160gm paste (2/3 cup) and roast, stirring, until lightly coloured (2-3 minutes; the remainder can be frozen for up to 3 months).

2.Combine curry paste and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. With slightly wet hands, roll rice into balls the size of ping-pong balls. Refrigerate,uncovered, for 1 hour.

3.Preheat oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C. Deep-fry rice balls in batches until golden brown (2-3 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit), then drain on paper towels. Coarsely crush rice balls, scatter with mint and coriander, and serve with [chicken larb](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/chefs-recipes/chicken-larb-recipe-17481|target=”_blank”) or as a side dish.

To make tamarind purée, mix 40gm tamarind pulp with 40ml boiling water and stand until softened, then pass through a sieve, pressing firmly.

Wine suggestion 2017 Moondarra Studebaker Bianco. Wine suggestion by Brad Hammond.
Notes