Crispy Thai Rice Cake Salad
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Overflowing with wonderful textures and flavours this salad turns humble rice into a taste sensation.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
Rice cakes
2 cups of cold, cooked long grain jasmine rice (¾ cup raw rice)
2 tablespoons Thai green or red curry paste
4 tablespoons rice flour
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon caster sugar
vegetable oil for shallow frying
Salad
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
sugar to taste
½ small telegraph cucumber, roughly chopped
assorted fresh herbs: coriander, mint, Thai basil,
roasted peanuts or cashew nuts
1 whole red chilli, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
cos lettuce leaves and lime wedges, to serve
METHOD
Rice cakes: Put all the ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl and mix thoroughly, squeezing it firmly together so it doesn’t fall apart when cooking. Hands are best for this. Form into 12 rough-shaped cakes.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the rice cakes until golden on the outside but still soft inside. Don’t worry if bits fall off, they’re all delicious in the salad. Drain on kitchen towels.
Salad: Stir the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar together. Put all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Break the warm rice cakes into bite-sized pieces and add to the salad. Toss with half of the dressing and divide between bowls. Serve with cos lettuce leaves and lime wedges, with extra dressing on the side. Serves 4.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!