Want to make a Thai dish like Larb or Nam Tok, and it calls for Toasted Rice Powder, and you don’t have any?
I’ve been there!
I’m obsessed with Thai food, moved to Thailand so I could eat super cheap, amazing Thai food all the time.
And I now teach weekly Thai cooking classes where I teach others like you how to make it!
I know you aren’t able to make it to my Thai cooking class right this second, but don’t worry, this recipe will feel like you are there as I walk you through the whole process of what toasted rice powder is used for, and how you can make it in your own kitchen!
What is toasted rice powder?
Wanna know one of my all time favorite spices to boost umami flavor in a Thai dish?
Toasted (or roasted) rice powder is sweet rice that is roasted in a wok with kaffir lime leaf, and then pulverized in a stone mortar and pestle or food processor to a sandy consistency.
Toasted rice powder is often used to thicken or bind Laos or Thai dishes and sauces, add a magical umami depth of flavor, and emulsify, aka combines two ingredients that usually don’t mix easily.
Where does it come from?
Toasted rice powder originated in Laos, and then it crossed the border into northeastern Thailand to the Isan area, and is used in Thailand most often there.
Isan people love putting toasted rice powder in many of their most popular Thai dishes (and some of my most fav Thai dishes, yum!) like: Larb, Nam Tok, and they use it to thicken sauces like their Thai spicy seasoning that I love to dip Sun-Dried Thai Beef Jerky in.
How do you make your own?
The sweet rice is roasted in a wok until golden brown, and it starts to smells like burnt popcorn, (yup, that’s normal!) and then pulverized in a stone mortar and pestle, spice mill, or a food processor.
If you have time to make your own roasted rice powder, go for it! It’s pretty simple, all you need is just three ingredients: sweet rice, kaffir lime leaf (optional), and time!
The most important part is the time.
I’ve tried to rush the roasting process and spend only 10 minutes roasting it, but if you do about 20-30 minutes, you really get that umami depth of roasted flavor. But it’s really up to you how long you prefer to toast it, and people have different preferences.
Can you substitute jasmine rice instead of sweet rice in toasted rice powder?
Sweet rice is typically used to make roasted rice powder instead of jasmine rice since jasmine rice is too dense to bind or absorb as well as sweet rice. Sweet rice has a higher starch than jasmine rice, which helps it do its thickening job in whatever you put it in.
If you are in a pinch, you can try using jasmine rice instead of sweet rice for toasted rice powder, but just know it won’t thicken as well, but the umami flavor, which I love, will still be there!
Where can you buy toasted rice powder?
You can buy toasted rice powder online, or at a local Asian market, but beware because not all are the same.
I was at our closest Asian market with my Thai friend, perusing the spice aisle, which is packed with a rainbow of yellow, orange, red, gold and browns spices in plastic bags from all over the world.
(Insider tip: buying spices like cumin, cinnamon, white pepper, anything really, at the Asian market is cheaper than the regular grocery store)
My Thai friend picked up a small plastic bag labeled, “Toasted Rice Powder”.
She had a shocked expression as she gazed at the bag filled with what looked like an off-white powder, and said, “How is this toasted rice powder? This has no texture! I can’t believe they sell this!”
Then a few weeks later, a reader emailed me in shock about the same thing because she ordered some online for a Thai recipe because it was supposed to add texture, but when she got it, it was just a fine powder.
Even though the name roasted rice powder translated to English has powder in it, it isn’t a powder like we know in America, but it has more of a sandy, coffee grounds feel to it because you don’t really want it completely broken down because the tiny chunks of rice adds texture to Thai dishes.
But I’ve definitely bought and used that same super fine toasted rice powder before when I didn’t have time to make my own, so don’t worry, it works in a pinch.
What is a substitute for toasted rice powder?
There isn’t really a substitute for roasted rice powder! But you can make your own using this recipe below if you can’t find it at the Asian market, or don’t have time to go to the Asian market.
What Thai dishes do you put it in?
Some of my favorite Thai dishes I put it in are:
- Thai Chicken Larb
- Nam Tok aka Thai Steak Salad
- Spicy seasoning sauce for Thai Sun-dried Beef Jerky
- Spicy seasoning sauce for Thai Chicken Nuggets
Use it tonight in your dinner, and share your pic with me on Instagram @thaifoodie, which is my favorite place to hang out online. Can’t wait to see how you use it!
Thai Toasted Rice Powder Recipe
- Total Time: 10=30
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Are you all out of toasted rice powder, aka the umami flavor powerhouse that made you fall in love with Thai dishes like larb and nam tok? Don’t worry, you can make it at home with me cheering you on!
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw sweet rice aka glutinous rice (you can substitute jasmine rice, but jasmine doesn’t do as well thickening sauces like sweet rice does)
1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)
Instructions
Add rice and kaffir lime to a dry wok.
Shake the wok, or stir-fry it off and on over medium-low heat for 10-30 minutes until a deep golden brown. Tip: Even if it changes color quickly, keep roasting it because it may not be roasted all the way inside the grain yet.
Always stay close to the pan, and stir it often because it can burn easily.
If at any point it starts to turning black in spots instead of golden brown, turn down the heat, and take it off the burner to cool it off some, and then put it back on.
As you toast you rice powder, it will smoke some and smell like burnt popcorn, but that’s ok! As long as it’s not turning black, just a deep golden brown, you are good! Just keep going! The kaffir lime leaf will also crisp up, but that’s totally fine.
You really do have to do it for awhile! If you don’t, it wont have that deep nutty, umami flavor you adore.
Once golden brown and it’s been 15-30 minutes (the longer you roast, the more roasted flavor you’ll get, so do whatever you prefer), take out the kaffir lime leaf and let the toasted rice powder cool to room temperature.
Use either a stone mortar and pestle, food processor or spice mill to process it until it’s about the same texture as panko bread crumbs, or coarsely ground coffee grounds.
Make sure you don’t process it too much since you do want some texture if you want Thai-Style roasted rice powder.
Add it to all your favorite Thai or Laos dishes and enjoy!
Notes
Roasted rice powder can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two months.
- Cook Time: 10-30
- Category: Ingredient
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Thai
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