Rice Cakes with Spicy Dipping Sauce Recipe
 A classic Thai appetizer, these rice cakes
are easy to make and will keep almost indefinitely in an airtight
container. Start making them at least a day before you plan to serve
them, as the rice needs to dry out overnight.
Ingredients: (Serves 4 to 6)
175 g/6 oz/1 cup Thai jasmine rice
350 ml/12 fl oz/1½ cups water
Oil, for deep-frying and greasing
For the spicy dipping sauce:
6-8 dried chilies
2.5 ml/½ teaspoon salt
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cilantro (coriander) roots
10 white peppercorns
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup coconut milk
5 ml/1 teaspoon shrimp paste
115 g/4 oz minced (ground) pork
115 g/4 oz cherry tomatoes, chopped
15 ml/1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
15 ml/1 tablespoon palm sugar or light
muscovado (brown) sugar
30 ml/2 tablespoons tamarind juice (tamarind
paste mixed with warm water)
30 ml/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted
peanuts
2 scallions (spring onions), chopped
Method:
Make the sauce. Snap off the stems of the
chilies, shake out the seeds and soak the chilies in warm water for 20
minutes. Drain and put in a mortar. Sprinkle over the salt and crush.
Add the shallots, garlic, cilantro and peppercorns. Pound to a coarse
paste.
Pour the coconut milk into a pan and bring
to the boil. When it begins to separate, stir in the pounded chili
paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant. Stir in the
shrimp paste and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the pork, stirring to break up any
lumps. Cook for 5-10 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, fish sauce,
palm sugar and tamarind juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the
sauce thickens, then stir in the chopped peanuts and scallions. Remove
the sauce from the heat and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to the lowest setting.
Grease a baking sheet. Wash the rice in several changes of water. Put it
in a pan, add the water and cover tightly. Bring to the boil, reduce the
heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff up the rice. Spoon
it on to the baking sheet and press it down with the back of a spoon.
Leave in the oven to dry out overnight. Break the rice into bitesize
pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer. Deep-fry the rice cakes, in
batches, for about 1 minute, until they puff up but are not browned.
Remove and drain well. Serve with the dipping sauce.
Happy Cooking,
Carol |
