Simple and great. I prefer this to a lot of other dishes. My mother used to make this for me before I went to school. She’d actually roast it over the fire on the stove and leave it on the counter for me. Of course, I cannot replicate it in quite the same way, however, the crunchety, crispety part can be achieved using a frying pan. Since I was her apprentice in the kitchen, I’d only watch and learn when she made the foods I loved. And, here is a sampling of the Lao Rice Cake, or kow jee* as I’ve always known it. Anyway, this is my take on how to prepare it. Sern Saap!**
Ingredients:
1 fistful of cooked sticky rice*** (usually what’s leftover)
1 egg (or more, if you like it eggy—but this compromises the crunch!)
1 tbsp of cooking oil
A smidge (or two) of salt
Method:
- In small bowl, beat egg.
- Take a fistful of sticky rice, and with your hands, flatten into a cake no more than 1” thick.
- Heat oil in pan on medium setting.
- When oil is heated, place flattened rice paddy into pan and cook for a minute or two.
- Then, I like to pour the beaten egg on top of that and let cook until bottom is golden brown.
- Flip the paddy over and continue cooking until that side is golden brown.
- Sprinkle with salt on both sides.
- Let cool. Makes 1 serving. Enjoy with a Beer Lao.
There are many variations of this. I’ve had it with mushed rice. Some people use fish sauce or fermented fish sauce for flavoring. I like mine simple and lightly salted. It’s like sunshine. ~Danny
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*Kow jee literally means roasted rice.
**Bon appétit!
***You don’t know what sticky rice is? Ugh…go here.