Shrimp Crispy Rice Salad

You hear that? That’s the sound of sizzling rice.

Repeat after me: My salad doesn’t have to be boring. If you’re reading this at time of publish then you are probably looking for healthier meals (aren’t we all?). This Shrimp Crispy Rice Salad combines bold herbaceous and bright flavors with crispy rice. This salad will leave you satisfied but not weighed down. Because the only thing better than rice… is crispy rice.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR SHRIMP CRISPY RICE SALAD

CRISPY RICE SALAD

• Leftover Rice – Ah! Yes, the key to crispy rice. The rice must be old and stale before trying to fry it up. Why? When rice is stored in the fridge overnight it starts to dehydrate which allows the outside to become super crispy when cooked over medium heat. Fresh rice has too much moisture and is too sticky.
  
  If you only have fresh rice and STILL want to make this, the air fryer is your best friend. I placed a note below on how to make crispy rice fast, and while it is not nearly as good (it gets a bit too crispy) it is a good substitute.
• Shrimp – Frozen or fresh! I am a big shrimp fan so the recipe calls for 1/2-3/4 lb of shrimp (that is a lot so adjust if needed).
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Kale – Curly kale, which is the most common kale you can find, works well for this. I actually love using purple kale for this recipe. They have a similar texture although I find purple kale to be a bit softer. Whichever variety you choose just make sure you massage it for a minute before adding it to the bowl.

Other ingredients you can add: cucumbers, edamame, chopped peanuts.

SPICY GINGER DRESSING

• Fresh Ginger
• Green Onions – Or scallions. Save the whites for later, this dish calls for the light green – green sections only, sliced finely.
• Thai Chili – Also known as Birds Eye Chili, one is enough to pack enough lingering heat. I know what your thinking… I need one chili? That seems like a waste. You can actually buy these loose at supermarkets like Whole Foods, or packs at Asian specialty markets are very affordable. I have a ton of other recipes on this site that utilizes them so if you bought a pack it’s worth checking out Thai Basil Beef or Steamed Miso Cod. If you absolutely can not find this you can use a half a jalapeño.
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar – You want to use seasoned rice vinegar vs regular rice vinegar. What’s the difference? The seasoned variety is sweeter with the addition of sugar which works well with the amount of acid and heat that is added to this dressing. If all that you can find is regular rice vinegar you can add a pinch of sugar to the dressing to cut into the acid. It won’t be the same but it will do.
• Ponzu – This salty, tangy, citrusy sauce pulls the dressing all together and adds just a touch of umami. I personally like the ponzu with lime but regular ponzu also works. Think citrusy soy sauce.
• Lime Juice – Fresh only!
• Neutral Oil – Vegetable, canola or avocado oil work well for this recipe. Oils with a strong flavor such as olive oil or even sesame oil will overpower this dressing.

HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP CRISPY RICE SALAD

Make the Dressing – The dressing needs a few minutes to sit and come together so it’s best to make this first. In a bowl combine the oil, ponzu, rice vinegar, lime juice, minced chili and ginger, and sliced green onions. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Prep the Salad – I like this salad warm, so before I cook the shrimp and fry off the rice I like to place all the greens in a large bowl. Rinse the greens thoroughly, especially the cilantro which has a reputation of being sandy/dirty. Remove the kale from the thick fibers stem. An easy way to do this is to pinch the bottom of the stem and pull up through the tight finger grip. The leaves will fly off and you are free to throw out the stem.

Place the kale in the bowl with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and massage with your hands for 30 seconds. Prep the cilantro and mint by picking them off the stems. Add them to the bowl.

Crisp the Rice – Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. After 1-2 minutes when the pan is hot add 1 tbsp of oil. Heat for 10 second then throw the cooked rice in, flattening it against the pan. Let the rice crisp undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Check it, has it begun to brown? If not let it keep going for another 2 minutes or until it has formed a crust. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Once crispy remove from the pan.

Is your rice not turning brown? In case you didn’t know, different color pans will brown food differently. A darker pan will brown food faster than a lighter pan. Just food for thought when choosing your pan. The pan that is photographed doesn’t brown the rice, but it will still get crispy.

Cook the Shrimp – While the rice is cooking, place a small sauce pan with salted water on the stove over medium heat. Once at a boil, lower the heat and add in the cleaned de-shelled shrimp. This will be extremely quick, smaller shrimp will take about a minute whereas larger ones will take 2. If the shrimp start to curl in on itself and form a C they are a few seconds away from being overcooked. The C shape should be loose, and not tight.

Combine + Serve – Dish out the greens. Add the crispy rice and shrimp to the bowls and dress with desired amount of dressing.

Hot tip!! Okay, so you don’t have leftover rice… what to do. You can make fresh rice but it will be far too moist to fry up. Instead place desired amount in the air fryer, spray with a spray oil and airfare at 390F for 5-10 minutes. It might be overly crispy but better super crispy rice over no rice.

STORING/REHEATING

Once dressed the salad needs to be eaten immediately. The dressing can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Prepping ahead? The greens, dressing, and shrimp can all be made ahead of time. Simply store each separately, crisp up rice and combine when ready.