Nehm Khao- Lao Crispy Rice Salad

Lao Crispy Rice Salad.

Nehm Khao is a childhood favorite. It's rice that is seasoned with coconut cream, red curry paste, and my mom always added fragrant kaffir leaves and lemongrass. Lemongrass and kaffir leaves aren't traditional but my mom uses them and it's so very good. You don't have to add them, a good curry paste will already have these ingredients in it. You can also make your own Curry Paste and keep it in the freezer. The rice is formed into balls and fried until golden brown. The result is a flavorful crispy rice ball that is a great snack, and it makes an awesome Crispy Rice Salad called Nehm Khao. I used to snitch a couple as they came out of the fryer to snack on. When I was a little older my mom had me sit outside to watch the pot and fry the rice balls. The recipe makes a lot of rice balls. I would guess enough to make the salad for 6 servings, and a few leftovers to be eaten as is.

Som Moo is traditionally used. It's also what's pictured here. My mom switched to ham a long time ago. We rarely had Som Moo, it's fermented pork. It's very good, but after I ate this I had the WORST migraine and sure enough it has MSG in it. I didn't give it to the girls, they had ham. *I am adding my recipe for Som Moo replacement, we don't miss the Som Moo with this and the taste is spot on.*

Please read the recipe through before starting, I made lots of notes at the bottom.
I make a vegetarian version of this salad without the Som Moo for my vegetarian child and she loves it. She doesn't miss the sour ham we just add extra lime juice.
More Curry paste posts on Give Peas A Chance
Crispy Duck Geang Phet
Coconut Curry Spaghetti Squash
Thai Curry One Pot Wonder 

Lao Nehm Khao.

Nehm Khao with the Som Moo ham replacement above. So yum. No pork skin.

Here's the method, scroll down for the full recipe.

For the crispy rice balls/Nehm-

Scoop out the thick cream off the top of the coconut milk. It will be the thick cream. 

Stir the curry paste into the coconut cream.

Mince the kaffir leaves and lemongrass very finley. Stir this into the coconut cream mixture.

Add the remaining ingredients for the rice balls. 

Mix well to incorporate the ingredients but don't over mix. The rice will become gummy.

Form the rice into tight golf ball sized pieces.

Heat the vegetable oil (or lard) for frying. About 350 degrees. You want enough oil to just cover the rice balls. 

Drop a few rice balls into the fryer, depending on the size of your fryer. Don't over crowd the pot/fryer, it will lower the temperature of the oil too much, you won't be able to turn the rice balls, and it may bubble over. I was able to fry up 5 pieces at a time.

Let the rice cook until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined platter.

Deep fried curry rice balls.

I cooked my rice for about 8 minutes each, but my fryer was acting up.

Make sure you let the oil come back up to temperature before adding the next batch of rice for frying each time.

Once all the rice is fried you can assemble the salad.

In a big bowl break apart 6-9 Nehm. Make sure they are cool enough to handle, but not chilled, room temperature.

Toss in remaining ingredients.  Starting with just half the juice from the lime.

TASTE.

Adjust seasonings and flavors.

Add Thai chili powder. (optional)

Top with toasted unsalted peanuts (optional- we're peanut free here)

Serve with lettuce, cilantro, lime wedges, and cucumber slices for lettuce wraps.

Give Peas A Chance Nehm Khao

Nehm Khao/ Lao Crispy Rice Salad

6-9  Nehm Khao pieces (recipe below)
1 1/2 cups Som Moo substitute (recipe below)*, or fermented pork (Som Moo)
1 shallot, sliced thin
8-10 kaffir leaves, minced
1-2 limes, zested if desired
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/3- 2/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Garnish-
Ground dried Thai chile powder
Whole dried chilies, fried in oil just for a second
Roasted, unsalted peanuts

Once all the rice is fried you can assemble the salad.

1. In a big bowl break apart 6-9 Nehm. Make sure they are cool enough to handle, but not chilled, room temperature.
2. In a big bowl toss in remaining ingredients. Starting with just half the juice from the lime. Omit the Som Moo for vegetarians.
3. TASTE.
4. Adjust seasonings and flavors.
5. Add Thai chili powder. (optional)
6. Top with toasted unsalted peanuts (optional- we're peanut-free here)
7. Serve with lettuce, cilantro, lime wedges, and cucumber slices for lettuce wraps.

Nehm Khao/ Crispy Rice Balls

1 can of unsweetened coconut milk, do NOT shake the can
3-5 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste
2 eggs
7 kaffir leaves
1-1/2 inch piece of lemongrass (just the tender part of the stalk)
1-2 shallots, depending on size
Salt
9 cups cooked long grain rice, cooled or day old is fine
1/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened finely chopped (Optional)

Vegetable oil for frying

For the crispy rice balls/Nehm-

1. Scoop out the thick cream off the top of the coconut milk. It will be a thick cream. 
2. Stir the curry paste and eggs into the coconut cream.
3. Mince the kaffir leaves and lemongrass very finely. Stir this into the coconut cream mixture.
4. Add the remaining ingredients for the rice balls. 
5. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients but don't over mix. The rice will become gummy.
6. Form the rice into tight golfball sized pieces.
7. Heat the vegetable oil (or lard) for frying. About 350 degrees. You want enough oil to just cover the rice balls. 
8. Drop a few rice balls into the fryer, depending on the size of your fryer. Don't overcrowd the pot/fryer, it will lower the temperature of the oil too much, you won't be able to turn the rice balls, and it may bubble over. I was able to fry up 5 pieces at a time.
9. Let the rice cook until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined platter or on a cooling rack.
10. I cooked my rice for about 8 minutes each.
11. Make sure you let the oil come back up to temperature before adding the next batch of rice for frying each time.

Som Moo (Nehm Moo) Substitute

10 ounces cooked ham, chopped sugar-free if you can find it

4 garlic cloves minced

1-2 limes

1/2-1 cup shredded cooked pork skin, optional

4-5 Thai chilies, optional

1. Pulse the ham and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add lime juice until the pork is tart like Som Moo would be.
3. Stir in the shredded pork skin.
4. Place mixture into a zip-top bag, place Thai chilies in the bag so they are scattered over the surface of the mixture. Not on top where the bag zips but on the side. 
5. Press air out of the bag and seal.
6. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 24 hours before using it. Or keep in the freezer and thaw before using.

 Notes-

• Use just the thick cream at the top of the can of coconut milk. Reserve the "water" for something else, like smoothies or Coconut Limeade Slushies. I should call my mom, I don't think she uses coconut cream in her Nehm. (She uses unsweetened dried coconut flakes)
• No kaffir leaves? Just omit them, or add the zest of one lime.
• IF you have extra kaffir leaves you can store them in the freezer or dehydrate them, I have done this with both kaffir leaves and lemongrass stalks.
• No lemongrass? Leave it out, it adds wonderful flavor, but most curry paste already has lemongrass in it.
• Ground pork- My mom used ground pork. I have left it out and I like it with or without. You can add it to the Nehm Khao mixture before frying the balls, 8 ounces of ground pork.
• Shredded coconut- You need UNsweetened coconut, get it at the Asian market. It will be finer than flaked coconut used for baking, and dry.
• Rice- Use long grain. I use Jasmine rice. I use a little bit less water when cooking it. You want the rice to be cooked through, but not too wet/mushy. Once the rice balls are fried up, they are crumbled, if the rice is too wet/sticky it will not separate nicely. One the other hand if the rice is too dry, it will fall apart in the fryer. Ask me how I know.

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