Crispy Rice Cakes With Tarator Sauce

Crispy pan-fried rice cakes served with a creamy almond tarator sauce and fresh herbs. These golden-brown cakes combine jasmine rice with eggs for structure, served with a bright lemon-garlic almond sauce and fresh herb garnish.

4 servings
45 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Almond Aioli
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 to taste Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 to taste Kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1⅓ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 to taste black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup mixed tender herbs
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 wedges lemon wedges

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Blend Almond Aioli, lemon juice, and garlic in a blender to combine; season with salt and pepper.

    3 min

  2. 2.

    Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, stirring often to separate grains and prevent sticking, 6 minutes. Drain well and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Transfer cooled rice to a medium bowl.

    15 min

  3. 3.

    Whisk egg, egg yolk, 1/2 cup tarator sauce, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl to combine and add to rice. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine; set aside.

    5 min

  4. 4.

    Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium. Just as butter starts to brown, drop four 1/4-cupfuls of rice mixture into skillet and gently press down with a spatula to make 1/2"-thick cakes. Cook cakes until edges and bottoms are golden brown and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack (they're only cooked on one side). Wipe out skillet and repeat process with remaining vegetable oil, butter, and rice mixture to make 4 more cakes.

    15 min

  5. 5.

    Toss herbs with olive oil and remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice in a clean small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

    2 min

  6. 6.

    Divide 1/2 cup tarator sauce among plates and top each with 2 cakes. Squeeze lemon wedges over and season with more salt. Top with herbs.

    5 min