Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple fried rice is a very common Thai dish. The Thai name for it is khao phat sapparot. This is a quick weeknight dish that comes together under 30 minutes or even less if you have the rice cooked. I have eaten this dish at various restaurants and most of them choose to serve it in a pineapple boat. So I thought of replicating the same at home.

This rice dish has a unique blend of sweetness from the pineapples and pineapple juice balanced by the spicy garlic Sriracha Sauce. You can change the proportions of the two depending on your taste. For the rice there are just 3 basic components: rice, vegetables and pineapple. Use white or brown rice depending on your taste; add vegetables of your choice, either fresh or frozen and use a fresh pineapple or just pick up a can and use that. Choose any combination of the three components and stir up a dinner that is not only healthy and quick but tastes better than the take-out!!  

Ingredients

2 cups short Brown Rice

2 tbsp. Oil

1 tsp. Chilli oil (optional)

1 cup diced Pineapple (fresh or canned)

¼ cup pineapple juice

¼ cup chopped spring onion greens and white

¼ cup green pepper, diced

1 cup diced vegetables ( carrots, sweet corn, green peas, cabbage)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Soy Sauce/Soy paste

Vinegar

Sriracha Garlic Sauce

Salt

1 Pineapple cut into a boat (to serve)

Method

If you are using a pineapple boat to serve the rice, scoop out the pineapple from the half cut fruit and dice it. Using about ¼ cup of the dice, make pineapple juice and set aside. Also leave out a few big chunks of pineapple for the garnish. If using canned pineapple, dice 3-4 slices for the rice. Dilute the pineapple juice from the can with equal amount of water and use.  

Wash and cook two cups brown rice (can be substituted for white rice) in 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Let the rice rest while you prepare for the dish.

In a thick bottom wok/wide saucepan, heat oil and chilli oil, put the garlic. Sauté the pepper and onion whites on high flame. Add the vegetables one by one in the following order, allowing a minute of cooking time between two vegetables: green peas, carrots, corn and cabbage. Sauté for a couple of minutes, and add the pineapple dice. Mix well and add the rice and pineapple juice. Cook till the juice is absorbed by the rice. Mix well, add Soy Sauce, Vinegar and Garlic Sauce. Add salt as required and sauté for a minute or two. Set aside.

To prepare the topping, heat a teaspoon of chili oil in another pan. Add a pineapple slice or few big chunks and a teaspoon of soy sauce. Let the pineapple absorb the sauce for about 3-4 minutes on high flame and then flip the side. Once the pineapple is dry remove from flame.

To serve, add the rice into the pineapple boat. Top it with the sweet and spicy pineapple slice and spring onion greens. Serve with your choice of tofu or vegetable side dish. Tofu in Chili Garlic Sauce tastes very good with this rice. Find the recipe here.