What to Put on Plain Rice: 15 Easy Toppings

The quick list

1. A fried egg and soy sauce. The fastest rice dinner there is. Fry the egg in plenty of oil so the edges go crisp, then add a drizzle of soy sauce. More ideas in what to put on eggs.
2. Butter and soy sauce. A knob of butter melted into hot rice with a splash of soy. Simple, salty and rich.
3. Thami Letto. Two spoonfuls of Burmese peanut, sesame and fried onion topper, mixed all the way through. Finish with coriander, raw onion and lime. More on this below.
4. Furikake. The Japanese rice seasoning of seaweed, sesame and salt. Sprinkle it over and eat.
5. Kimchi. Chopped kimchi and a little of its juice stirred through warm rice, ideally with a fried egg on top.
6. Chilli crisp or chilli oil. For heat. A small spoonful goes a long way. If you find it too hot, try a milder alternative.
7. Crispy fried onions and sesame. Shop-bought crispy onions, toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of salt give crunch and sweetness.
8. Spring onion and sesame oil. Finely sliced spring onion, a few drops of toasted sesame oil and salt.
9. Ghee and salt. A spoonful of ghee melted through hot rice is comforting on its own, and even better with dal.
10. Yoghurt. Cool rice mixed with plain yoghurt and salt, the way curd rice is eaten across South India. Add a few curry leaves and mustard seeds fried in oil if you have them.
11. Pickle. A spoonful of lime or mango pickle (achar) brings sharpness and heat.
12. Tinned fish. Sardines or mackerel in oil, flaked over rice with lemon and black pepper.
13. Avocado and soy. Sliced avocado, soy sauce and a few sesame seeds.
14. Leftover curry or dal. Anything saucy from yesterday turns plain rice into a full meal.
15. Peanut butter, soy and chilli. A spoonful of peanut butter loosened with soy sauce, lime and a little chilli makes a quick sauce.

The Burmese way: htamin let thok

In Burma, one of the most common ways to eat plain rice is htamin let thok, rice mixed by hand with a savoury topping of roasted peanuts, toasted sesame, fried onions, gram flour and fish sauce. It is street food, breakfast and packed lunch, and it is the dish behind Thami Letto.

The idea is different from most toppings on this list. Instead of putting something on top of the rice, you mix the topping all the way through until every grain is coated. The rice soaks up the oil and spice, and the peanuts and sesame give crunch in every mouthful.

The classic Burmese rice bowl

Cook one cup of jasmine or basmati rice. While it is still warm, add two generous spoonfuls of Thami Letto and mix it all the way through. Top with fresh coriander, thinly sliced white onion, spring onion and a good squeeze of lime. Add a soft boiled or fried egg if you want it more filling. It takes about five minutes once the rice is cooked.

Warm rice works far better than cold. If you are using leftovers, heat them through first.

Fried rice with Thami Letto

Day old rice is best. Heat a wok until it is properly hot, add a splash of oil and stir fry whatever vegetables or protein you have for two to three minutes. Add the rice and toss over a high heat for two more minutes. In the final minute, add two large spoonfuls of Thami Letto and toss everything together quickly. Add it at the very end, because the peanuts burn if they go in too early. A splash of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil just before the Thami Letto adds even more depth.

How to make the rice itself taste better

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, so the grains stay separate.
• Salt the cooking water. Unsalted rice will always taste flat, whatever you put on it.
• Cook it in stock instead of water for extra flavour.
• Fry the dry rice in a little butter, ghee or oil for a minute before adding the water.
• Add a bay leaf, a few cardamom pods or a strip of lemon peel to the pot.
• Let it rest with the lid on for five to ten minutes after cooking, then fluff it with a fork.

Questions