The creamy and comforting rice porridge sparkles with spicy, sweet toppings that make for an energizing meal. Traditional toppings for khaotom may include Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, or eggs. However, Kat Thompson’s preferred version is served with fermented mustard leaves and crispy bacon. It’s a Khao Tom recipe from Oranij Promsatit, Thompson’s favorite Thai teacher and friend from the family.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
- 6 cups water
- Fish sauce or Kosher salt to taste
- 6 (1-ounce) thick-cut maple bacon slices, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Fermented mustard-based greens (such as Pigeon Brand)
- Sliced scallions and fresh red Thai chiles for garnish
Directions
- Put rice into a big pot and add water to cover the rice. In the pan, stir water to wash the rice, then drain. Repeat the rinsing and draining until the water runs precise eight to ten times. Add 6 cups water to rinsed rice, put in a pan, and bring to a boil at a high temperature. Mix in salt or fish sauce according to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, unaffected, until the rice is tender and smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to stand under cover until it thickens, approximately 10 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, cook bacon in a large pan over medium-high, and stir frequently until crispy, up to 8-10 minutes. Then, drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Divide porridge equally among six shallow bowls. Sprinkle generously with bacon cooked to perfection; top with fermented mustard greens, scallions, and red Thai chilies.
