Thai-Style Rice Salad

In the NutriGuide test kitchen, Chief Culinary Specialist Stewart Lucas refined this classic Thai-Style Rice Salad to celebrate vibrant, wholesome ingredients. By prioritizing aromatic layering and precise thermal control, this recipe achieves remarkable culinary depth while preserving natural micronutrients and wholesome texture.

At NutriGuide, our mission is to ensure that home cooking is both accessible and culinary-grade. When executing Thai-Style Rice Salad, focus on fresh aromatics, dry surface contact for proper searing, and allowing the food to rest before serving.

• 4 cups uncooked jasmine rice
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• root
• 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 Thai chile pepper, seeded and
• minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• root
• 1 teaspoon minced lemon grass
• 1/2 pound peeled and deveined
• medium shrimp (30-40 per pound)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
• 2 teaspoons white sugar, or to
• taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chef's Sourcing & Quality Tips:

• Produce & Aromatics: Always use fresh whole aromatics and seasonal herbs rather than dehydrated powders when possible.
• Cooking Oils: Utilize cold-pressed oils with appropriate smoke points such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Salt & Seasoning: Season from a modest height above the pan to ensure an even, uniform crystalline dispersion.

Follow these sequential steps with careful attention to sensory cues and cooking temperatures:

Step 1: Technique & Execution

Bring the rice, butter, ginger, coconut milk, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over high heat

Step 2: Technique & Execution

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes

Step 3: Technique & Execution

Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and refrigerate until cold

Step 4: Technique & Execution

Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat

Step 5: Technique & Execution

Stir in the garlic, shallot, minced chile pepper, ginger, and lemon grass; cook for 1 minute until the shallot begins to go limp

Step 6: Technique & Execution

Add the shrimp; cook and stir until the shrimp has turned pink, then stir in the red bell pepper slices