A Simple Thai-​Style Rice Salad - Khaao Yam (ข้าวยำ)

Rice is the headlining ingredient in this herb-​forward “salad,” but it wouldn’t be khaao yam without the inclusion of earthy toasted coconut. The dish is a beloved breakfast on Ko Yao Noi and beyond, sold from vast bowls at Muslim-​run tea shops.

This version, taught to me by Bussaba Butdee, who runs a homestay on Ko Yao Noi, includes the rather decadent addition of grilled shrimp, which she happened to have on hand. These are not standard and can be omitted. Less optional for southern Thais is the herb called bai phaa hom. Known colloquially as—​no, I’m not making this up—“dog and pig fart herb,” the leaf provides the dish with a unique, but not as unpleasant as the name might suggest, aroma. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to find bai phaa hom outside southern Thailand, and khaao yam made without it will still be tasty, but it, admittedly, won’t have the same unique fragrance.

Serve this as a southern Thai–style breakfast or as lunch.

The Food of Southern Thailand Austin Bush

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 medium shrimp (200 g total; optional)

• 1½ cups (300 g) long-​grain white rice

• 2 cups (around 150 g) finely grated coconut

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste

• 2 stalks lemongrass (50 g total)

• A 4½-​inch piece galangal (45 g), peeled and sliced thin

• 4 medium spicy fresh chiles (12 g total)

• 12 wild betel leaves (12 g total), sliced very thin

• 15 bai phaa hom leaves (15 g total), sliced very thin

• 3 makrut lime leaves, sliced very thin

• 6 long beans (100 g total), sliced thin

• 5 shallots (50 g total), peeled and sliced thin

• 1 small lime, peeled and chopped, any seeds discarded

• 1 small tart green mango (300 g), peeled, pitted, and shredded

• 1½ teaspoons thin soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon bouillon powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the optional shrimp: Grill or broil the shrimp, turning once, until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Peel, discarding the shells and heads (if any), and thinly slice the shrimp. Set aside.

Prepare the rice: Gently rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water remains clear. Combine the rice and 1½ cups (350 ml) water in a saucepan that’s large enough to accommodate the bubbling and swelling grains of rice. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and boil the rice for 3 seconds. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to as low as possible, and simmer, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and remove the lid for a few seconds to release excess heat and moisture. Then replace the lid and allow the rice to rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Gently stir the rice, then cover and allow to rest for a final 5 minutes.

While the rice cooks, make the salad: Toast the coconut in a wok over medium-​low heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, around 15 minutes.

Pound and grind the toasted coconut to a coarse powder with a mortar and pestle. (Alternatively, process the toasted coconut to a coarse powder in a blender or food processor.) Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok over low heat. Add the shrimp paste and fry, stirring, crushing, and mixing it, until it’s toasted, well combined with the oil, and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

Pound and grind the lemongrass and galangal to a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle. Add the chiles and pound to a coarse paste. (Alternatively, if using a blender or food processor, process the lemongrass, galangal, and chiles to a coarse paste.) Set aside.

Combine the coconut, shrimp paste, shrimp (if using), wild betel leaves, bai phaa hom (if using), bai phaa hom leaves, lime leaves, long beans, shallots, lime, mango, thin soy sauce, bouillon powder (if using), and rice in a bowl, tossing to mix, being careful not to smash the grains of rice. Taste, adjusting the seasoning if necessary; the salad should be slightly spicy, herbal, and savory, in that order.

Remove to individual plates and serve at room temperature.

Recipes and photographs from “The Food of Southern Thailand”. Copyright © 2024 by Austin Bush. Used with permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company. All rights reserved.

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