A warm, golden-brown rice crust makes the base for juicy shrimp, ripe mango and crunchy pointed cabbage. Lime and fish sauce dressing brings the flavors together, while peanuts add an extra crunch to the bowl.
This rice bowl is all about the contrast between warm and cool, soft and crunchy. The rice develops a golden-brown underside in the frying pan, while the shrimp cook quickly and stay tender. On top go cool mango and finely sliced pointed cabbage: the mango adds sweetness, while the cabbage brings a fresh bite. Coriander adds a herby, citrusy note. The dressing of lime, fish sauce and sugar brings those flavors together with acidity, saltiness and a little sweetness, without overpowering the rice or shrimp.
Cold, cooked rice works best for a crispy base. It is firmer and less moist than freshly cooked rice, so it browns more easily in the pan instead of steaming. Rice from the day before is handy, but food safety calls for cooling it quickly: put cooked rice in the fridge within two hours and keep it covered. Ideally, use the rice within 24 hours and heat it all the way through. Leave the rice undisturbed at first as it cooks; if you stir it too often, the crust will break before it has a chance to form.
A mango that is ripe but still firm is easy to cut into neat cubes and won’t fall apart straight away in the bowl. Outside mango season, you can use ripe peach, or leave out the fruit and add a little extra cabbage. Pointed cabbage is mild and crunchy; finely sliced white cabbage works too. Use fresh limes for the dressing and taste it before adding extra fish sauce: saltiness varies by brand. Fish sauce adds savory depth, while a little sugar rounds off the sharp acidity. For a vegetarian version, you can use soy sauce, though that will change the flavor profile.
Serve the bowls straight away so the rice crust and peanuts stay crunchy. Spoon the dressing over the toppings just before eating, or serve it on the side if you want to keep the cabbage extra crisp. The quantities are for two generous bowls; if you’re serving more people, it’s best to fry the rice in batches so the pan stays hot and the crust doesn’t get too thick. Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in a covered container. Reheat the rice and shrimp thoroughly; the mango and cabbage are best added fresh.
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice with the fish sauce and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Dice the mango and thinly slice the pointed cabbage. Roughly chop the coriander and chop the peanuts. Set the toppings aside.
Pat the shrimp dry. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high to high heat. Cook the shrimp for 2–3 minutes until just pink and cooked through, turning them halfway. Transfer them out of the pan.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan. Add the cold rice and spread it into an even layer. Press it down lightly with a spatula and cook for 8–10 minutes without stirring, until the underside is golden brown and crispy. Break the rice into large pieces.
Divide the crispy rice between two bowls. Arrange the shrimp, mango and pointed cabbage on top. Spoon over the dressing and finish with coriander and peanuts. Serve straight away.
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