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Nam Khao crispy rice salad in a bowl

Vegan Nam Khao (Lao Crispy Rice Salad with Greens and Herbs)

This Nam Khao recipe is adapted from the Thai Crispy Rice Salad on Jessica Merchant’s site, How Sweet Eats. It’s a much healthier version of the Night + Market recipe and also very easy to throw together on a weeknight. To make this low FODMAP, simply omit the shallot and white scallions. I made it this way and it tasted great! If you’re not vegan, you can sub fish sauce for the tamari for an even more authentic Thai experience or add red curry paste for some heat.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2  cups  jasmine rice or other long grain white rice
  • 4  tablespoons  coconut oil
  • 1  red bell pepper  diced
  • 1 Fresno chili or jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • 1  shallot  thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1  bunch lacinato kale stems removed and finely chopped
  • 2  teaspoons  olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free tamari
  • 1  tablespoon  rice vinegar
  • 1  tablespoon  toasted sesame oil
  • 2  scallions  thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts
  • 1 lime quartered, for serving

Instructions

  1. Place the uncooked rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well multiple times. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the rice. Cook the rice for 5 minutes. Drain the rice in the strainer (it will be slightly undercooked and that’s okay!) and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a large lidded skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil over a medium-high flame. Sauté the peppers and shallots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the pepper mixture to the bowl with the rice and toss to combine.
  3. Place the skillet back over medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Once hot, add the rice mixture and use a spatula to press it into one layer, like a rice cake. Wrap the pan lid tightly in a large kitchen towel – be very careful it’s not touching the pan or it might char. Cover with the towel-wrapped lid and cook until the rice is golden and crispy, about 7 minutes. Using a flat spatula, flip a few parts of the rice cake and crisp the other side, another 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, keep it covered with the lid and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in the large mixing bowl, toss the kale with the olive oil, lime juice and salt. Massage with your hands until dark green and wilted. Set aside.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, vinegar and sesame oil.
  6. Off the heat, gently toss the crispy rice with the kale and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with the tamari mixture. Top with the scallions, cilantro, peanuts and lime wedges.