Name: Penang Rice Salad
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes 4 snack or side-dish servings
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups jasmine rice* (11 3/4 oz); 3 cups water; 1/3 cup packaged unsweetened dried coconut; 1/4 cup fine-quality dried shrimp** (1 oz); 1 large fresh lemongrass stalk, 1 or 2 outer leaves discarded and root end trimmed; 3 (2 1/2-inch-long) fresh or thawed frozen Kaffir lime leaves; 1 (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh or thawed frozen turmeric** (optional), finely grated; 1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise (3/4 cup); 5 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh Vietnamese basil or fresh cilantro (from 1 bunch); 3 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh mint; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper; 1/4 teaspoon salt; an electric coffee/spice grinder

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Penang Rice SaladRomulo Yanes

Nasi Kerabu
Make sure to buy the larger dried shrimp and select those that are bright pink or pink-orange (they brown and harden with age). Lesser grades of dried shrimp tend to be unpleasantly pungent. It's also important to use a fine-quality rice — what you can buy at most supermarkets will yield mediocre results.

Recipe notes

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