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    Home > Recipes > Thai

    How to Make Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua)

    Published: Feb 6, 2020 · Modified: Mar 24, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 3 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    toasting rice in wok
    toasted rice powder in a white bowl
    stirring toasted rice in a wok
    toasted rice powder

    toasted rice powder in a small white bowlToasted Rice Powder is an essential ingredient in Thai Minced Chicken or Pork Salad (laab gai or laab moo) and is used to thicken dipping sauces like jaew. Here’s how to make this smoky, nutty, ground rice powder at home in about 15 minutes. 

    When Frank and I lived in Bangkok, we bought toasted rice powder from our local grocery store and never gave it a second thought. Then we returned to the United States and couldn’t find a good version anywhere. The version that we found at our local Asian grocery store was lacking in flavor and was too finely ground to give laab its nice, sandy texture. 

    So, as I was working on the recipe for the beloved Spicy Minced Chicken Salad of Northern Thailand (Laab / Larb Gai), I fell down a rabbit hole of toasted rice powder. This ground, toasted rice is not complicated to make. It’s made with one ingredient (rice), and I found myself wondering why I’ve never made it before. 

    Moral of the story = make this easy ingredient yourself. It’s so easy! Here’s how to do it:

    toasting rice in a wok

    There is only one essential ingredient in this recipe - rice. In Northern Thailand, sticky rice is king (see the Guide to Essential Thai Ingredients for more on common Thai rice varieties), so sticky rice is usually used to make Toasted Rice Powder. If you don’t have sticky rice around, you can use jasmine rice for a very similar result.

    Thai sweet rice

    Thai sweet rice

    Optional: If you have access to makrut lime leaves (again, see the guide for more details), adding one or two leaves will add a subtle, unique flavor to the toasted rice powder. It’s great, but again, totally optional.

    kaffir lime leaves on a grey countertop

    Step 1: Toast in a Wok

    Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. As the pan is heating, add rice (and lime leaf if using) and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes a very dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

    The rice will smoke quite a bit as it cooks and will smell very fragrant, almost burned. As long as none of the grains show signs of burning (turning black in spots), keep going until all of the grains are an even, deep golden brown color. If any rice grains do start to burn, be sure to reduce the heat. 

    If you’re using a lime leaf for flavor, it will toast right along with the rice and will become very dry and crisp.

    Remove the wok / skillet from the heat and continue stirring until the pan cools down a bit. Let the rice sit in the pan until totally cooled down.

    toasting rice in wok

    Step 2: Grind Rice

    Transfer the rice (and lime leaf if you used it) to a coffee / spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to grind until the rice forms a smooth, even powder that still has some texture. The grains within the powder should be slightly uneven which gives the powder a perfect texture for laab / larb.

    toasted rice with a mortar and pestle

    Spice Grinder vs. Mortar and Pestle

    In testing, the mortar and pestle was slightly preferable to the coffee / spice grinder in making toasted rice powder. The electric grinder made all of the grains very round and even. The mortar and pestle resulted in a slightly uneven powder which is actually preferable - it means that when you use it in cooking some grains remain intact while others dissolve and thicken the sauce it’s used in. 

    However, if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, don’t worry - the spice grinder result was just fine! See the photos below for the difference.

    spice grinder

    grinding rice with a mortar and pestle

    Recipes that use Toasted Rice Powder

    • Thai Minced Chicken Salad (Laab / Larb Gai)
    • Frank's Laab Moo (Thai Salad with Pork, Herbs, and Lime)

    Favorite Tools

    • Spice Grinder - A small electric grinder like this one is great for grinding fresh spices or for a variety of other uses in Thai cooking. Be sure to get a dedicated one to use for spices. Don’t use the same grinder you use for coffee or your coffee might start to taste like Thai food!
    • Mortar and Pestle -  This is a more traditional method for grinding the rice and is a great investment if you make a lot of Thai food from scratch or like to grind your own spices.
    • Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok - Almost any Thai recipe you can think of can be made in a wok. This inexpensive wok has been a staple in my kitchen for 5+ years. If you’re not ready for a wok to take up space in your kitchen, a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven will work great as well.
    Toasted Rice Powder in a white bowl
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Thai Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua)

    Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua) is an essential ingredient in Thai Minced Chicken or Pork Salad (laab / larb) and is used to thicken dipping sauces like jaew. Here’s how to make this smoky, nutty, ground rice powder at home in about 15 minutes.
    This makes about ½ cup of toasted rice powder. Want to adjust the servings in this recipe to make more or less? Just click on the number next to “servings” and you can easily scale the recipe.
    Makes ½ cup.
    Prep Time1 min
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time16 mins
    Cuisine: Thai
    Keyword: rice, Thai ingredient, thai salad
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $1.50

    Equipment

    • Wok
    • Mortar and Pestle
    • Coffee/Spice Grinder

    Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup Uncooked Thai Sticky Rice (see note)
    • 1 Makrut Lime Leaf (optional, see note)

    Instructions

    • Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. As the pan is heating, add rice and lime leaf and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Note: The rice will smoke quite a bit as it cooks and will smell very fragrant, almost burned. As long as none of the grains show signs of burning / turning black in spots), keep going until all of the grains are an even, deep golden brown color. If any rice grains do start to burn, be sure to reduce the heat.)
    • Take the wok / skillet off the heat and continue stirring until the pan cools down a bit.
    • Let the rice sit in the pan until completely cool.
    • Transfer the rice and lime leaf to a coffee / spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to grind until it forms a smooth, even powder that still has some texture. (The grains within the powder should be slightly uneven which gives the powder a perfect texture for laab.)
    • Store toasted rice powder in a sealed jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

    Notes

    Sticky rice (also sometimes labeled as glutinous or sweet rice) is traditionally used made to make Toasted Rice Powder in Northeastern Thailand. If you don’t have sticky rice, you can use Thai jasmine rice for a very similar result. Be sure to use dry, uncooked rice so that it will toast properly.
    Makrut lime leaves can be found at Asian / international grocery stores and sometimes at specialty stores (we’ve found them at Whole Foods labeled “lime leaves”). This gives a uniquely Thai flavor to the toasted rice powder, but the recipe works just fine without it.

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Related

    « Guide to Thai Ingredients
    Thai Minced Chicken Salad (Laab / Larb Gai) »

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. NGON

      June 15, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      I am from Vietnam, I am happy to read the information at your website.Thanks for some truly great recipes.

      Reply
    2. Chelsea T

      April 30, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      Made this recipe cause I’m sick of buying premix version and adding spice packs for $5 to make such a lovely meal.
      Making this and storing in satchels in freezer works well.
      I only make Laab beef about once a month so having made one batch it lasts for quiet a while.

      The lovely popcorn like smell fills the kitchen and makes me hungry,
      Doing mortar and pestle for this is longer than 15 mins for me but was well worth it. I just sat in front of net flix grinding.

      Get kids to take turns- learning smells and food skills at the same time,

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        May 06, 2021 at 9:30 am

        Thanks so much for the note and tips! It's a bit of work for sure, but I'm with you - once it's in the freezer I'm always so glad I made it myself instead of purchasing it. The flavors and aromas really don't compare.

        Reply

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