A vibrant salad of crispy fried rice balls tossed with fermented sausage, peanuts, fresh herbs, chilies, and lime juice. The contrast of crunchy rice with tangy, herbal, and spicy flavors makes this one of the most addictive Laotian dishes.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 egg
Vegetable oil for frying
200g fermented beef sausage, sliced
50g roasted peanuts
4 shallots, sliced
Fresh mint leaves
Cilantro
5 Thai chilies, sliced
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Lettuce leaves for wrapping
Instructions
1Mix cooked rice with red curry paste and beaten egg until evenly colored.
2Form the rice into small balls and deep-fry until golden brown and crispy throughout.
3Crumble the fried rice balls into large chunks in a mixing bowl.
4Add sliced fermented sausage, peanuts, shallots, chilies, mint, and cilantro.
5Dress with lime juice and fish sauce, tossing everything together gently to combine.
6Serve on a plate with lettuce leaves for wrapping individual bites.
Did You Know?
Naem khao has become wildly popular in Thai-Laotian restaurant communities in the United States, often introduced to diners as a crunchy rice salad that converts skeptics on first bite.