Nam Khao

Saeng Douangdara’s selected nam khao breaks fried jasmine-rice pieces into a Lao salad with soured pork, pork skin, herbs and roasted peanuts. He describes it as a dish shared at celebrations and gatherings, often eaten in lettuce wraps.

Jasmine rice cooks with water and then cools on a tray. An egg, red curry paste and sugar are mixed together before coating the rice with unsweetened dried coconut shreds and minced lime leaves.

The mixture is formed into hand-sized disks and fried in oil. Crumbling the fried pieces gives the salad its combination of crisp rice and smaller, loose grains.

Fish sauce, lime juice and salt season the crumbled rice. Diced soured pork and pork skin join cilantro, green onion and lightly crushed roasted peanuts before everything is gently mixed.

Lettuce leaves carry spoonfuls of the salad as wraps. Fried chili is offered as a garnish, with the author’s serving notes making the chili an optional addition for extra heat.