Rice Recipes - Rice Cakes with Dipping Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 175g/6oz/1 cup Thai jasmine rice

• oil, for deep-frying and greasing

• dipping sauce, for serving

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Grease a baking sheet.

2. Wash the rice in several changes of water. Put it in a pan, add 350ml/1 1/2 cups water and cover tightly. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

3. 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.

4. Break the rice into bite size pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 190°C/375°F or until a cube of bread, added to oil, browns in 40 seconds.

5. 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.

Note: Easy to make, these rice cakes will keep almost indefinitely in an airtight container. Start making them at least a day before you plan to serve them, so the rice can dry out overnight.

Cook's Tip: For a spicy meat-based dipping sauce to serve with the rice cakes, soak 6 dried red chilies in warm water, drain, then grind to a paste with 2 chopped shallots. 2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 4 chopped coriander (cilantro) roots and 10 white peppercorns. Heat 250ml/1 cup coconut milk. When it starts to separate, stir in the chili paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add 15ml/1 tbsp shrimp paste and 115g/4oz minced (ground) pork Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, then stir in 4 chopped cherry tomatoes, 15ml/1 tbsp each fish sauce and brown sugar, 30ml/2tbsp each tamarind juice and chopped roasted peanuts, and 2 chopped spring onions (scallions). Cook until thick, then pour into a bowl and cool.