Crispy Rice Salad

Let's cook

1. 1

   Use cold, dry rice

   Day-old refrigerated rice is essential. Fresh rice is too moist and will steam into a sticky mass instead of crisping.

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   Cold day-old rice, broken up with wet hands before it goes near the pan.

2. 2

   Press and leave alone

   Heat the oil in a wide pan until shimmering, add the rice in an even layer, and press it down. Leave it completely untouched for 5 minutes.

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   Do not stir. The crust only forms if the rice sits still against the hot pan.

3. 3

   Break and repeat

   Break the crust up, press the rice down again, and cook another 4 minutes. Repeat once more until much of the rice is golden and audibly crunchy.

4. 4

   Mix the dressing

   Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, chilli, and garlic until the sugar dissolves. It should be sharp, salty, and slightly sweet.

5. 5

   Toss just before serving

   Combine the crisp rice, herbs, scallions, and cucumber, pour over the dressing, and toss. Top with peanuts and fried shallots.

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   Dress at the last moment — the rice softens within a few minutes of meeting the dressing.

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