Rice Salads
Rice salads, mixed rice, rice with toppings etc - khao yum or khao khluk
As I was scrolling through my pictures, I realized that there is a loose category of dishes that involve mixing rice with a variety of toppings. I don’t think these dishes have a technical group name but they are essentially rice salads. The concept of these dishes is very similar to bibimbap, a Korean dish that includes rice mixed with banchan and gochujang sauce. In Thai cuisine, khao kruk or khao yum dishes show up in all regions of the country.
Southern-style Khao Yum
In the south, khao yum is a rice salad dish with dried fish, dried shrimp, a sour fruit like mango or pomelo, fresh vegetables like long beans or bean sprouts, lemongrass, and chili powder. The salad “dressing” is a sauce of tamarind reduction with fish sauce and sugar. Everything is mixed together and enjoyed during summer when it’s too hot to eat anything else.
Central-style Khao Khluk Kapi
In the central region, khao khluk kapi or shrimp paste rice is a crowd favorite. It’s believed to have come with the Mon people who settled in central Thailand from Myanmar (my paternal grandmother is Thai Mon). To make khao khluk kapi, cooked jasmine rice is stir fried with shrimp paste until fragrant. That rice is served with savory toppings like thinly sliced omelette, fried dried shrimp, soy stewed pork, chinese sausage, and shallots (optional thai chilies). Julienned green sour mango and a squeeze of lime juice brightens the dish and brings it altogether.
In the north, you can find khao gaan jiin or rice cooked in blood. This dish is much more humble than the other two dishes mentioned above. Khao gaan jiin is made by mixing rice in blood and some ground meat. The mixture is wrapped tightly in banana leaf and steamed (similar to zongzi). The rice is then topped with crispy fried garlic + oil, crispy chili, fresh cucumber, and shallot. It’s served with fresh herbs like cilantro and a spritz of lime juice to contrast the umami. Like the other dishes, everything is mixed together before eating.
