Air Fryer Crispy Rice Salad | Nam Khao Tod
Air Fryer Crispy Rice Salad is inspired by the traditional Lao dish nam khao tod, the original crispy rice salad that sparked today’s crispy rice trend. Instead of deep-frying, this version uses the air fryer to create an ultra-crispy texture with a lighter feel. The finished dish is bright, crunchy, and tangy, and perfect for scooping into fresh lettuce wraps.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 11/4 cup water, boiling
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tbsp kaffir lime leaves, minced
- 1 tbsp red curry paste
- 1/2 cup dried coconut shreds
- Oil spray, as needed
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp MSG
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup cured pork (som moo), diced
- 1/2 cup pork skin, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 green onion stalk, sliced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, whole
- Garnish: fried chili, mint, and lettuce
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 4 minutes.
- 2
Rinse the jasmine rice 3 times with room-temperature water. Drain well and transfer to a 6½-inch diameter × 2½-inch tall heat-proof round cake pan.
- 3
Pour the boiling water into the pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and place in the preheated air fryer. Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- 4
Remove from the air fryer and let the rice steam, still covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the foil, transfer the rice to a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- 5
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes.
- 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and red curry paste until smooth.
- 7
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, coconut shreds, kaffir lime leaves, and curry-egg mixture. Mix well until evenly coated.
- 8
Transfer the rice mixture to the air fryer tray, spreading it out evenly and lightly flattening it. Spray with a light coating of oil.
- 9
Cook at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, using the shake feature or manually shaking halfway through, until the rice is golden and crispy.
- 10
Transfer the crispy rice to a large bowl. Season with fish sauce, MSG, and lime juice, then mix well.
- 11
Add the cured pork, pork skin, cilantro, green onion, and shallot. Toss gently to combine.
- 12
Plate and serve with fried chili, mint, and lettuce on the side.