I just talked about my recent favorite TV cooking show in this post, but today I want to tell you my all time favorite Foodnetwork show, Diners Drive-ins and Dives.
I believe a big factor of this show’s success is Guy Fieri, the show’s host (he is awesome!), but the concept is just brilliant as well.
I love seeing all the great things those chefs of small restaurants are doing. I’ve seen chefs making pretzel buns from scratch they use for their burgers or making pasta from scratch for their authentic Italian dishes in tiny kitchens (or even in a food truck sometimes)! There really isn’t any excuse for three-star restaurants using too many store-bought products!
Anyway, I recently saw this episode, and my eyes were glued to this Laotian salad called Nam Khao.
I had never seen or heard of it before, but it looked and sounded so good, and I had to try it.
Nam Khao is fried coconut and rice balls served with pork, peanuts, scallion, herbs, etc., and lettuce leaves.
Since I wanted to keep mine vegan, I omitted pork and instead I added some ingredients that were not included in their recipe, such as kimchi, fried onion, and radish.
This was so flavorful.
I definitely did not miss pork.
I also did not make balls. I just fried the rice/coconut mixture, but I think I succeeded in creating flavors I wanted by cooking it over a high heat and slightly burning the rice.
Love dishes like thins. The flavors are totally new and unique.
If you like coconut, this is a must-try!
And if you are interested in other rice salad ideas, check out this, this, this, or this.
1.5~2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
1/2~1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
sugar
1/2~1 teaspoon red curry paste
1/4 onion, chopped
salt
soy sauce
hoison sauce
canola oil
lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallion
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/2 cup radish, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons kimchi, chopped
1/4 cup fried onion (good quality)
sugar, if needed
Romaine lettuce leaves
mint leaves
1 lime
1. Mix rice, coconut, sugar, curry paste, onion, salt, soy sauce, and hoison sauce.
2. Fry the rice/coconut mixture in oil over a high heat. Remove from heat.
3. Add lime juice, cilantro, scallion, ginger, radish, peanuts, kimchi, and fried onion. Mix well.
4. Add sugar if needed.
5. Serve with lettuce leaves, mint leaves, and lime wedges.
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