Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดสัปปะรด)

Authentic pineapple fried rice has the taste of Thailand, a perfect balance of sweet and savoury. It is mildly spiced, tasty and healthy with chunks of juicy pineapples. With Chinese origins, this rice dish must be cooked in a hot wok or skillet for enhanced flavours.

5 stars

Preparation 20 mins
Cooking 10 mins

Main

Nasi Goreng Nanas, Khao Pad Sapparod

Thai

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Nutrition per Serving

1124 kcal
218 g
14 g
27 g


Pineapple fried rice must have some thick pieces of pineapples and that bolt of Thai flavour. Therefore, fish sauce, turmeric powder and curry powder are tossed with rice over high heat to coat each grain with the seasoning. This is the secret to a mouth-watering plate of fried rice which is so popular in Thailand and even Malaysia. It's a favourite among kids and adults alike. So, it is not a surprise to find pineapple fried rice sold at a street food stall as well as being offered in the menu of a five-star hotel.

The cooking technique for pineapple fried rice does not differs much when compared to preparing other types of fried rice. It's all about the right portion of ingredients, heat and a few basic rules. Of course, it can be prepared easily on a weekday even without using overnight rice. If you are using the whole pineapple, don't throw away the skin but instead turn it into a pineapple bowl.

Overnight rice vs freshly cooked rice

Overnight rice is not really necessary to coming up with the perfect fried rice. Let's get over the reason to using cold overnight rice. It is used because it doesn't clump together as the grains lose their moisture when refrigerated. When cooking fried rice, high heat is used and this helps the moisture to evaporate from the rice. Before using, just allow the freshly cooked rice to rest for 5-10 minutes without the lid. Optionally, fluff the rice to speed up the cooling process.

Butter instead of oil

Instead of using vegetable oil, butter is the choice in this recipe. Besides the marvelous fragrance, it also adds a light creamy flavour that goes well with the curry powder.

Curry powder mixture

Sweet pineapples are delicious but when mixed with the earthy, mildly spiced curry powder, the sweetness and tanginess develop into a more complex and super delicious fusion. The curry powder used in this recipe is store-bought. It has a mix of spices such as chilli powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger and others. You may look out for other types of curry powder or masala (preferably those meant for meat).

Turmeric for colouring

Unless you want a bright yellow plate of fried rice, turmeric is really optional in this recipe. It also depends on the curry powder you're using. A more yellow curry powder would most likely mean that it contains a higher percentage of turmeric. In this case, turmeric is not at all needed.

Fresh pineapple bowl

It's always fun to serve in style. Therefore, having your food in a beautiful fresh pineapple bowl is definitely eye-catching and rewarding. Although it takes a little effort, it is well worth the time. You are assured that the bowl is fresh and clean unlike the stories about eateries reusing the pineapple bowls.

Vegan pineapple fried rice

Fried rice dishes are so versatile. It's easy to swap ingredients to fit dietary requirements. To make this dish vegan, substitute butter with vegetable oil, oyster sauce with mushroom sauce and fish sauce with soy sauce. Be assured that you'll still be rewarded with a delicious plate of pineapple fried rice.


Ingredients

Servings:  
1
garlic clove(s)
2
shallot(s)
1
scallions
1
carrot(s)
1 tbsp
unsalted butter
8
prawns
3 tbsp
green peas (frozen)
500 g
rice (cooked)
1 tbsp
fish sauce
1 tbsp
oyster sauce
1⁄2 tbsp
curry powder
1 tsp
turmeric powder
1⁄2 tsp
salt
1⁄4 tsp
black pepper powder
3 tbsp
pineapple cubes
1⁄2 tbsp
oil
1
egg(s)

Steps to Prepare

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดสัปปะรด) Step 1

Step 1 of 3

    • 1 garlic clove(s)
    • 2 shallot(s)
    • 1 scallions
    • 1 carrot(s)
    • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
    • 8 prawns
    • 3 tbsp green peas (frozen)

Mince garlic, shallots and scallions. Dice carrots. In a wok heated over medium temperature, add butter. Sauté garlic, shallots and the lower part of the scallions until fragrant. Increase heat to high. Add carrots, prawns and frozen green peas.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดสัปปะรด) Step 2

Step 2 of 3

    • 500 g rice (cooked)
    • 1 tbsp fish sauce
    • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
    • 1⁄2 tbsp curry powder
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1⁄2 tsp salt
    • 1⁄4 tsp black pepper powder
    • 3 tbsp pineapple cubes

Add rice into wok. Carefully break the chunks of rice with a spatula. Do not mash the rice grains. Then, add fish sauce, oyster sauce, pineapple chunks and curry powder. Optionally, add some turmeric powder for colouring. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir-fry until evenly mixed.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดสัปปะรด) Step 3

Step 3 of 3

    • 1⁄2 tbsp oil
    • 1 egg(s)

Move the fried rice to one side of the wok. Fry an egg using a bit of oil. Once the egg is almost cooked, quickly mix it together with the rice. Serve and garnish with scallions (the leaves).

Published: May 3, 2019


2 Discussions

Rachel Smith
a year ago

Rachel Smith

I've tried a lot of pineapple fried rice, and this one was by far the best!

Grace
a year ago

Grace

Great! Do upload a food snap, Rachel!

Nani
3 years ago

Nani

No cashews?

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