Note 1 on ginger: I don't grate or chop it because I just throw it in the bldner with the rest of the sauce ingredients. I also used lemongrass paste here and it's delicious!
Note 2 on cooking rice: Most crispy rice recipes call for rice cooked the day before. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I honestly didn't find it necessary. I cook rice in the Instant Pot with this method: For this I make 2 cups of jasmine rice rinsed in 2 1/2 cups of water, cook for 3 minutes on high pressure and let it rest for 15 minutes on natural pressure release. I often make it, fry a portion for the same day's salad, and then store the rest in the refrigerator for another salad later in the week.
Note 3a on the oven method: If you don't have an air fryer I recommend “frying” the rice in the oven. Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes in the top third of the oven (closest to the heating element). It will become crunchy on the outside but will remain chewy on the inside.
Note 3b on stir-frying: You Candies fry this rice in oil in a pan, but it's not my favorite because a) it's messy and b) it requires the rice to be much drier to make it crispy. We recommend using day-old rice and then frying it in about 1/4 cup neutral oil until golden brown and crispy. Some recipes even recommend drying the rice in the oven to ensure it's dry enough to fry well, which, for me, is a problem. Too many steps. LOL. Another consideration: The finished rice will likely be oilier than the other two methods, so you may find you don't need as much seasoning.
