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!