This classic Thai pineapple fried rice includes succulent shrimp, juicy pineapple, plump raisins, and fragrant curry powder! It will satisfy your craving for takeout at a fraction of the price.
1small red or green chili, minced(de-seeded for milder rice)
12fresh extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined(about 8 ounces depending on their size)
2eggs, beaten
3tablespoonschicken broth or stock
3tablespoonsfish sauce
2teaspoonscurry powder
1teaspoonsugar
½cuproasted unsalted cashews
4cupsplain cooked rice(at least 1 day old, cold)
1cuppineapple chunks(fresh is better, but canned works too–about half a 20-ounce can)
½cupfrozen peas, thawed
¼cupraisins or currants
2scallions, finely sliced
Instructions
Add oil to a wok or large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying for one minute, or until fragrant. Add the shrimp and toss a few times. If the wok becomes too dry, add a little broth or water.
Push the mixture aside to make room for the eggs. Add the beaten eggs to the wok, and stir fry quickly to cook, as if you are making scrambled eggs. Mix the cooked eggs into the shrimp and shallot mixture.
Combine the chicken broth, fish sauce, curry powder, and sugar in a small bowl, and add to the wok.
Add the cashews and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Next add the rice to the wok, breaking it up if there are any chunks. Stir-fry until all the rice has mixed with the sauce and is a uniform color. Make sure you continually scoop the rice from the bottom of the pan, tossing like a salad rather than stirring it.
Add the pineapple, peas, and raisins. Toss to combine, and taste for seasoning. Continue stir-frying for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add half the scallions and toss.
To serve, sprinkle with the remaining scallion. Serve on a platter or in a pineapple, like they do in Thailand.
Video
Notes
I use Trader Joe’s white or brown jasmine rice. 1 cup dry jasmine rice (white or brown) will yield about 4 cups cooked.
Thai bird's eye chiles would be most authentic for fresh chiles, but you can use whatever is available, like a jalapeno for example. If you don't have fresh chilies you can simply added a bit of chili paste/sauce to your sauce mixture. You can also omit the chiles for no spice in your rice.
If using canned pineapple chunks, make sure they are packed in pineapple juice and not syrup. Also strain them well before using to remove excess juice before adding to the rice.
You can swap out the shrimp for thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs, or cubed tofu if you prefer. You can also do a combination of 2 or 3. In this case, I would cook the chicken first, push it to the side, and then add the shrimp and/or tofu before proceeding with the eggs as directed.
If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, in addition to omitting the shrimp (and possibly the egg depending on the type of vegetarian) and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth or water, you'll also need to replace the fish sauce with a vegetarian substitute. You can try a vegan fish sauce, coconut aminos, or a combination of soy sauce and vinegar, although the flavor will be slightly different in each case.