Description
A vibrant Thai-inspired dish featuring naturally blue jasmine rice, a bold budu dressing, fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, toasted coconut, and citrus fruits. This salad is both visually stunning and packed with authentic flavors, perfect for festive meals or healthy everyday dining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups chopped red cabbage
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ cups uncooked jasmine rice
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Budu Dressing:
- 3 tablespoon chopped shallot
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 inches lemongrass, bottom half only
- 3 slices ginger or galangal
- ¼ – ½ cup water
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
- 100 g palm sugar, chopped
- 1–2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate or juice
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- Salad Components:
- 2–3 tablespoon dried shrimp, shredded and toasted
- ¾ cup shredded coconut, toasted
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bottom half only, finely chopped
- 10–12 kaffir lime leaves, finely julienned
- 1 pomelo (or sub sour green mango or grapefruit)
- 2 limes
- Chili flakes, to taste
- Fresh crunchy vegetables (red/green cabbage, carrots, long beans, bean sprouts, wild betel leaves or Chinese broccoli, cucumber)
Instructions
- Prepare Blue Rice: Simmer chopped red cabbage in water for 5 minutes. Strain the purple water into a container. Gradually add tiny amounts of baking soda until the color shifts to blue. Cook jasmine rice in this blue liquid, diluting with extra water if a lighter color is desired.
- Make Budu Dressing: Blend water, shallot, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger until coarse. Simmer with fish sauce, shrimp paste, palm sugar, tamarind juice, and torn kaffir lime leaves for 5 minutes. Remove leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning. Thin with water if too thick.
- Toast Shrimp and Coconut: Grind dried shrimp until fluffy, then toast in a dry pan until aromatic. Toast shredded coconut in a dry pan until dark brown and fragrant.
- Prepare Vegetables: Julienne or finely chop vegetables and herbs. Segment the pomelo into small pieces.
- Assemble Salad: Place blue rice in the center of a serving plate. Arrange vegetables, coconut, shrimp, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and pomelo around the rice. Serve with budu dressing, chili flakes, and lime wedges on the side.
- To Serve: Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of dressing per plate and toss well with all components. Add lime juice as needed for extra brightness.
Notes
- Do not add too much baking soda when coloring the rice, or it will turn green. Use lime juice to restore blue if needed.
- The budu dressing is very strong; start with a small amount and adjust gradually.
- Finely chopping vegetables ensures even mixing and better presentation.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit dried shrimp and replace fish sauce with soy sauce or tamari.
- Store rice, vegetables, and dressing separately if preparing ahead to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Rainbow rice salad recipe, Thai salad, budu dressing, colorful Thai salad, blue rice salad, Thai healthy recipes