Zucchini With Crispy Rice and Lime

Zucchini With Crispy Rice and Lime

By KENDRA VACULIN
Total time 35 minutes
Serves 4-6

This delightfully textural side dish is inspired by Thai crispy rice
salad, with its punchy lime juice dressing and shower of herbs, and
is a great way to use up any excess of zucchini hanging out in your
crisper. Don’t be tempted to skip the rice flour as it coats each grain
of rice to promote quick and even crisping without the need for a
deep pot of oil. Day-old cold rice works best, but if you don’t have any
leftovers on hand, spread just-cooked rice out on a baking sheet
and chill, uncovered, until cool, then proceed with recipe as written.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. Red Boat Fish Sauce 40°N

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. chili crisp

1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups chilled day-old cooked white rice

2 Tbsp. rice flour
1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 zucchini, quartered lengthwise,
halved crosswise
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Torn basil and mint leaves (for serving)

Preparation

STEP 1

Whisk lime juice, chili crisp, fish sauce,
soy sauce, and sugar in a large shallow
bowl to combine. Set dressing aside.

STEP 2

Spread rice out on a rimmed baking
sheet, breaking up any clumps with your
hands. Sprinkle with rice flour and
gently toss until rice is well coated and
no flour remains on baking sheet.

STEP 3

Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a medium Dutch oven
or other heavy pot over medium-high.
Add rice; reserve baking sheet. Gently
toss with a heatproof rubber spatula
to coat rice with oil and cook, tossing
occasionally and breaking up any
clumps of rice with spatula, until crisp
and golden, 10–12 minutes. Transfer
crispy rice to reserved baking sheet and
spread out into an even layer.

STEP 4

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same
pot over medium-high. Add as much
of zucchini as will fit in an even
layer, arranging cut side down. Cook,
undisturbed, until well browned
underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss, then
add remaining zucchini (cooking will
have shrunk them slightly, making more
space; it’s okay if they don’t all fit in a
single layer). Cook, turning occasionally
with tongs and transferring pieces to
bowl with reserved dressing as they are
done, until deep golden brown on cut
sides, 3–4 minutes.

STEP 5

Add red onion and crispy rice to bowl
with dressing and zucchini and toss
to coat; season with salt. Top with basil
and mint.

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