Nam khao
Encyclopedia
Nam khao also known as Laotian crispy rice salad, Laotian fried rice ball salad, nam kao tod, naem khao thawt, nem khao, "nam khun" or naem khao is a salad from Laos
and is made with deep-fried rice balls, chunks of Laotian-style fermented pork sausage called som moo
, chopped peanut
s, grated coconut
, sliced scallion
s or shallots, mint
, cilantro, lime
juice, fish sauce
, and other ingredients. Nam khao is traditionally eaten as a wrap by filling individual leaves (i.e. lettuce) with a spoonful of the tangy Nam khao mixture and then topping it with fresh herbs and dried chili pepper
s. The traditional Laotian method of making Nam khao involves seasoning a batch of cooked rice with red curry paste
, sugar, salt, and grated coconut, and then forming the mixture into tightly packed large rice balls to be coated with eggs and then deep-fried to form crispy rice balls. Prior to serving, the crispy rice balls are broken into little chunks of rice and then mixed with the rest of the ingredients to form the eventual crispy rice salad. Nam khao is a very popular Laotian appetizer that is gaining popularity in the West.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and is made with deep-fried rice balls, chunks of Laotian-style fermented pork sausage called som moo
Som moo
Som moo is a type of fermented or soured Laotian pork sausage that is a very popular staple. It is made from raw pork consisting of rump and it typically is made with pork skin. In Laos, it is sometimes wrapped in star gooseberry leaves or banana leaves for additional flavoring...
, chopped peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s, grated coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, sliced scallion
Scallion
Scallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...
s or shallots, mint
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
, cilantro, lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
juice, fish sauce
Fish sauce
Fish sauce is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and features heavily in Thai and Vietnamese...
, and other ingredients. Nam khao is traditionally eaten as a wrap by filling individual leaves (i.e. lettuce) with a spoonful of the tangy Nam khao mixture and then topping it with fresh herbs and dried chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
s. The traditional Laotian method of making Nam khao involves seasoning a batch of cooked rice with red curry paste
Curry paste
Curry paste is a moist blend of ground or pounded herbs and/or spices and other seasonings. Curry paste is an important ingredient in Thai cuisine, and can also be a generic commercial product that replaces curry powders or spice blends in other cuisines....
, sugar, salt, and grated coconut, and then forming the mixture into tightly packed large rice balls to be coated with eggs and then deep-fried to form crispy rice balls. Prior to serving, the crispy rice balls are broken into little chunks of rice and then mixed with the rest of the ingredients to form the eventual crispy rice salad. Nam khao is a very popular Laotian appetizer that is gaining popularity in the West.