Thai Fried Rice With Pineapple and Prawns

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/1/22
Thai fried rice with pineapple and prawns

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This special Thai fried rice recipe is simple to make and so delicious. It can be served either as a side dish or a full-course meal and is a terrific addition to any dinner party or potluck.

This special fried rice includes juicy pineapple and plump shrimp or prawns in addition to vegetables, plus a touch of sweetness (currants or raisins) and crunch (cashews) for a taste sensation in every bite.

This is one of the signature dishes of Thailand, often served on a pretty platter or in a carved-out pineapple. It's a true crowd-pleaser and is sure to be a hit at your table.

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Ingredients

For Stir-Fry Sauce:

For Thai Fried Rice With Prawns:

  • 3 to 4 cups cooked rice, preferably several days old

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

  • 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 red or green chile, thinly sliced, or 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed chile flakes

  • 1 1/2 cups diced red or green bell pepper, optional

  • 1/4 cup chicken stock, divided

  • Handful of raw prawns or shrimp, shells removed or tail-on

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 small can pineapple chunks, drained, or 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1/4 cup raisins, or currants

  • 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

  • 2 to 3 spring onions, finely sliced, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Thai fried rice with pineapple and prawns recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Combine stir-fry sauce ingredients—fish sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar—together in a cup, stirring to dissolve. Set aside.

    Fish sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. If using leftover rice, oil your fingers with up to 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, then work through the rice with your hands, separating any chunks back into grains. Set aside.

    Separate any chunks of rice

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl around.

    Wok with oil

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Then add shallots, garlic, and chile, stir-frying for 1 minute.

    Shallots, garlic, and chile in a wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Add bell pepper, if using, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

    Bell pepper added to the garlic in the wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Add the shrimp plus remaining chicken stock, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, enough to keep ingredients sizzling. Stir-fry until shrimp turn pink and plump (2 to 3 minutes).

    Shrimp added to the bell pepper in the wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Push ingredients aside and crack the egg into the pan, stirring quickly to cook (like making scrambled eggs).

    Eggs scrambling in a wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Add the rice, pineapple chunks, peas, and raisins or currants.

    Rice, pineapple chunks, peas, and currants/raisins added to shrimp in the wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Drizzle stir-fry sauce mixture over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat. You want the rice to "dance" (make popping sounds) as it fries—5 to 10 minutes, or until the rice has achieved desired lightness.

    Pineapple fried rice cooking in a wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Toward the end of this cooking time, add the cashews.

    Cashews added to the pineapple fried rice

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  12. Remove from heat. Taste-test for salt and flavor, adding more fish sauce until desired taste is achieved.

    Pineapple fried rice in a wok

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  13. To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter or in a carved-out pineapple boat if serving at a party. Top with spring onions and enjoy.

    Thai fried rice with pineapple and prawns in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Tip

Always scrape from the bottom of the pan as you fry the rice. Avoid adding any more stock at this point, or your rice will become heavy; you want the pan hot and dry. However, you can push ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the pan or wok (this provides that special "shine" you see in restaurant fried rice).

Do you have you use day-old rice for fried rice?

It is best to use leftover, day-old (or two-day-old) rice for your fried rice. You will find that leftover chilled rice fries better than a batch of newly cooked rice. Fresh rice ends up clumping and does not have the firm texture that leftover rice provides.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
396 Calories
14g Fat
55g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 396
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 82mg 27%
Sodium 1196mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 55g 20%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 21mg 104%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 429mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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