Crispy Rice Salad

How about an explosion of flavours and textures in a single salad? This crispy rice salad was a sensational discovery for me, and I’m sure it will be for you too! The lime and fish sauce dressing goes perfectly with all the fresh elements of the salad like mint, green onions and cucumber!

I chose to add chicken to add a little protein to the salad, but tofu would also be perfect with this recipe!

Servings: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

See the recipe

Frequently asked questions

Curry paste is a concentrated, aromatic base used to prepare curry dishes. It is a thick paste made from ground spices, herbs, and aromatics.

Its flavor is quite distinctive and intense, so a little goes a long way!

There are several types of curry paste, such as red and green curry pastes. I really like Patak’s Madras curry paste.

I always keep Kadoya brand toasted sesame oil in my pantry. When choosing sesame oil at the grocery store, it’s important to choose toasted sesame oil; otherwise, you won’t get the strong, interesting, and essential sesame flavor.

Sambal oelek is a chili paste from Southeast Asia made primarily from chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. Unlike other sauces, sambal oelek is quite simple, really emphasizing the taste of the chili pepper.

Yes, it is spicier than Sriracha because it contains fewer ingredients that would soften the taste. However, the level of spiciness can vary from brand to brand.

Long-grain white rice works best for crispy rice. Even better, use rice that has already been cooked and cooled.

Yes and no. It’s best to prepare the crispy rice at the last minute to preserve its texture. You can prepare the rest of the salad in advance.

Yes, you can replace it with soy or tamari sauce. It will taste slightly different, but just as good.

Ingredients

Crispy rice

4 cups (600 g) cooked and cooled jasmine rice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) red curry paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt

Lime vinaigrette

3 tablespoons (45 ml) lime juice
2 tablespoon (30 ml) fish sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sambal oelek
2 (30 ml) water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt

Salad

2 cups (340 g) store-bought or homemade shredded chicken
1 English cucumber, sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup (35 g) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (40 g) coarsely chopped peanuts

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Preparation

Crispy rice

Preheat oven to 400°F and place rack in center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the crispy rice. Transfer to cookie sheet and spread rice mixture evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Increase oven temperature to broil and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, or until rice is golden brown and crisp. Reserve.

Lime Dressing

In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients.

Salad

In a large bowl, toss the crispy rice with all the salad ingredients and dressing.