Air Fryer Sticky Rice Patties | Khao Jee
Introduction to Air Fryer Sticky Rice Patties | Khao Jee
Lao cuisine knows how to transform sticky rice into countless dishes, including grilled sticky rice patties made from day-old khao niew. These patties come in various sizes but are always aromatic and slightly funky in flavor. A beloved street food across Laos, they’re typically grilled after being coated in a batter of egg, fish sauce, peppers, garlic, and lemongrass. Grilling gives them a charred, golden exterior while the interior stays soft and almost mochi-like. A popular way to serve them is with jeow bong. This version of khao jee is stuffed with pork floss for a touch of sweetness in every bite. For the traditional Lao recipe for khao jee, see my debut cookbook, The Lao Kitchen.
What are the special equipments needed?
Use a heatproof round cake pan 6½ inches in diameter and 2½ inches tall to cook the sticky rice in an air fryer and create a steaming setup. I recommend the Cosori Iconic Air Fryer because it cooks the rice evenly and provides enough space for the rice to be spread out.
Ingredients Needed for Air Fryer Sticky Rice Patties | Khao Jee
sticky rice: this type of rice helps keep the patty together
lemongrass: the aromatic that helps flavor the batter
bird’s eye chili peppers: adds spice to the dish
garlic cloves: an aromatic that goes into the batter; you can also use garlic powder as well.
egg: helps bind all the flavors together and gives the patties the yellow color
padaek: adds the funky salt to the batter
fish sauce: adds more umami to the batter
MSG: brings out all the flavors in this dish
sticky rice flour: this flour creates binds all the ingredients together and creates a thin batter
pork floss: this is used to stuff the patty and adds sweetness to the dish
Step by Step Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
Peel away the two tough outer layers of the lemongrass. Trim off the woody root end and the very tough, fibrous top. You should be left with the pale, tender middle stalk then roughly chop that portion.
Cook the Sticky Rice
Place the dried sticky rice in a large bowl and rinse it three times, stirring and draining each time, until the rinse water runs clear. Drain the rice well using a strainer, then transfer it to a heatproof container that fits inside your air fryer. (I use a round cake pan 6-1/2 inches in diameter and 2-1/2 inches tall.)
If using the Cosori Iconic air fryer, preheat it to 350°F for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the rice in the cake pan, then cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to create a steam environment. Place the covered pan in the preheated air fryer and cook at 350°F for 20 minutes. Let the rice cool for 5 minutes with the aluminum foil on it and then remove the foil and cool for about 15 minutes.
Make the Batter
In a deep mortar, place the lemongrass, peppers, and garlic and pound them into a coarse paste. Add the egg, padaek, fish sauce, and MSG, and mix thoroughly. Stir in the sticky rice flour until the mixture holds together. Transfer the batter into a small cup so you can dip the rice patties into it.
Form the Rice Patties
When the rice has cooled enough to handle, you should be able to work with it by hand. It may be sticky at first. Divide the rice into six equal portions, about 100 grams each, and form each into a compact patty. Flatten a patty, place about 1 tablespoon of pork floss in the center, then fold the rice over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Lightly spray each patty with oil, then press and shape it with both hands until it’s uniformly compact.
Dunk The Patties into the Batter
Using chopsticks, pick up a patty and dip it into the batter, coating all sides. Lift it out and let the excess batter drip off, then place the patty in the air fryer.
Cook The Rice Patties
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes. Place the battered patties in the basket (do not overcrowd), then cook at 400°F for 4 minutes. The patties should come out charred and golden; if they need more color, cook an additional 1–3 minutes, checking frequently. Serve the patties plain or with jeow bong.
How Long Will It Last?
These patties will keep for about one week. To reheat, cover the container and microwave for about 2 minutes.
Where can I get more Lao recipes?
If you enjoyed this recipe, chances are you love Lao food. My website is filled with traditional, modern, and fusion Lao recipes, so I hope you take some time to explore everything it has to offer. When you try a recipe, leaving a rating and a comment on that specific page helps more home cooks discover and trust it. And if you want ad-free, refined recipes, please consider pre-ordering my debut cookbook, The Lao Kitchen. It’s jam-packed with over 95 recipes, personal stories, and rich Lao food history.
More Lao Recipes
Air Fryer Sticky Rice Patties | Khao Jee
Khao jee is a beloved Lao dish rooted in Laos’s deep love of sticky rice. These sticky rice patties have a chewy, mochi-like texture and are filled with savory pork floss. The outside is seasoned with fish sauce, lemongrass, and other aromatic ingredients, then crisped to perfection. This version uses the air fryer to make the patties lighter while still flavorful and satisfying. Enjoy them on their own or dipped in jeow bong.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 4 minutes.
- Rinse the sticky rice 3 times with room-temperature water. Drain well and transfer to a 6½-inch diameter × 2½-inch tall heat-proof round cake pan.
- Pour the boiling water into the pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and place in the preheated air fryer. Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the air fryer and let the rice steam, still covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the foil, transfer the rice to a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- While the rice cools, make the batter. In a mortar, add the lemongrass, chili peppers, and garlic. Pound into a paste. Add the egg, padaek, fish sauce, and MSG, then mix well. Add the sticky rice flour and mix until smooth.
- Divide the rice into 100-gram portions (about 6 bundles total).
- Knead each rice portion a few times until it reaches a mochi-like texture. Flatten slightly, place 1 tablespoon of pork floss in the center, then close and seal the edges. Lightly spray with oil and gently compress into a patty with your hands.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes. Place the patties in the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 4 minutes.
- Remove the patties, dunk them into the batter, then return them to the air fryer. Cook again at 400°F for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until charred and golden.
- Serve warm and enjoy as is or with jeow bong.
Sabaidee, I’m Saeng!
I’m a personal chef who specializes in Lao food. Here at Saeng’s Kitchen, you’ll find all your favorite traditional Lao foods and also some new twists to Lao style dishes.