Thai pineapple fried rice (Khao Pad Sapparod)
Made with fresh ingredients, this Thai pineapple fried rice recipe (Khao Pad Sapparod) combines the sweet taste of fresh pineapple, savoury flavour of fish sauce, and spicy notes from curry powder and chilli peppers - all of which compliment the chicken and scrambled eggs wonderfully.
SERVES
5
Ingredients
- 1 cup Jasmine rice washed, soaked for 2 hours and boiled according to packet instructions
- 4 cups water, boiling rice
- 1 cup pineapple fresh, cut into small chunks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 inch ginger grated
- 2 chicken breasts 460 g, skinless, cut into small chunks
- 3 shallots finely chopped
- 1-1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon curry powder mild
- 4 eggs medium, cracked into a bowl
- 1 red bell pepper washed, deseeded, cut into small cubes
- 1-1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes optional
- 2/3 teaspoon salt, sea salt
- 3 scallions washed, finely chopped - for garnish
Directions
- Prepare the Jasmine rice according to packet instructions. I typically wash the rice before cooking and soak it for a couple of hours. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the rice. Cook on medium heat for six minutes or until cooked through. Drain immediately after cooking and rinse under cold water - to remove the excess starch.
- Carve the skin of a fresh pineapple into a boat. This will be used to serve the finsihed dish. Slice the pineapple in halves (lenthway). Using a sharp knife, make horizontal and vertical cuts. (to create small cubes). Be careful not to pierce through the skin. Finish by scooping out the pineapple cubes with a large spoon. Set the pineapple boat aside.
- In a large wok, over medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger in two tablespoons of oil.
- Add the chicken and stir fry for about five minutes or until cooked through. Then stir in the shallots and cook for an additional few minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through.
- Follow with the curry powder and fish sauce and stir to combine.
- Move the chicken to one side of the wok to make space to fry the eggs. Add the remaining oil to the wok, add the eggs and stir to scramble. Once cooked, combine the scrambled eggs with the chicken.
- Lastly, add pineapple, chilli flakes, bell pepper and salt to the wok; heat through for about a minute before adding the cooked jasmine rice and scallions. Reserve some scallions for garnish. Stir the mixture until the grains are thoroughly combined.
- Serve garnished with chopped scallions (green onions) in a hollowed out pineapple.
Notes:
- This recipe is best made with day-old or leftover steamed jasmine or basmati rice. Freshly cooked white rice can be used however it will give a different texture and won't be as flavorful.
- For the perfect;y flavoured Thai pineapple fried rice, make sure to use fish sauce and curry powder.
- Leave out the chicken completely if you want a vegetarian pineapple fried rice recipe.
- Add as many chillies as you like if you’re looking for some heat in your pineapple fried rice. Feel free to use whole Thai red chilli peppers or just the seeds from inside. Or leave them out completely if spice is not what you crave.
- Use any vegetables that you have on hand: Broccoli, diced carrot, bean sprouts and peas are a great addition!
- If you’re not into chicken pineapple fried rice recipe, just replace it with cooked shrimp or leave it as vegetarian pineapple fried rice
- Add fresh lime juice from half a lime before serving for an extra burst of flavour.
- Serve pineapple fried rice with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro and some crushed peanuts or crunchy cashew nuts on top. Extra Thai chilli sauce is also always welcome!
- If you're not a fan of pineapple, try swapping out half of the pineapple in this dish for mango instead for a real tropical vibe.
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