shrimp pineapple fried rice

Khao pad sapparot · ข้าวผัดสับปะรด

This is Thai pineapple fried rice the way I like it: curry-gold rice, sweet bursts of fresh pineapple, toasted cashews, and juicy shrimp, all piled back into the pineapple it came from. It looks like a party, but it comes together fast once your rice is cold.

The secret is cold, dry rice. Use day-old rice, or cook it in the morning and chill it uncovered for a few hours. I hope you guys really like it!!

Serves 4 · Prep 40 min · Cook 15 min · Total 55 min, plus rice chilling

ingredients

✦ for the pineapple boats

  • 1 large ripe pineapple (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg), for 2 boats. Use 2 pineapples if you want a boat for each person.

✦ for the fried rice

  • 4 cups (about 640 g) cold cooked jasmine rice, day-old or chilled for at least 3 hours

  • 1 lb (450 g) peeled, deveined shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 1/2 cups (250 g) diced fresh pineapple, from the boats

  • 1/3 cup (50 g) raw cashews

  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 cup (150 g) diced onion

  • 2 tbsp minced garlic (about 6 cloves)

  • 4 to 6 dried red chilis, broken in half, some seeds shaken out

  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced

  • 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil, divided

✦ for the seasoning

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp MSG

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

✦ to finish

1/2 cup (80 g) fresh pineapple cubes

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Chill the rice. If your rice is freshly cooked, spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 hours. Before cooking, break up any clumps with your fingers so the grains are loose.

  2. Make the pineapple boats. Halve the pineapple lengthwise straight through the crown. Cut around the inside about 1/2 inch from the skin, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon or melon baller. Cut away the core. Dice 1 1/2 cups of flesh for the rice and cube 1/2 cup for the garnish. Drain the shells upside down on a towel.

  3. Toast the cashews. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

  4. Get everything ready. Stir the soy sauce, curry powder, sugar, white pepper, MSG and salt together in a small bowl. Pat the shrimp very dry. Fried rice moves fast, so keep everything within reach of the stove.

  5. Sear the shrimp. Heat the wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add 1 tbsp oil and the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until just pink. Move them to a plate.

  6. Fry the aromatics. Add 1 tbsp oil, the dried chilis, onion and garlic. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant and the chilis darken slightly. Don't let the garlic burn.

  7. Scramble the eggs. Push the aromatics to one side. Add a little oil to the empty space, pour in the eggs and let them set for a few seconds. Scramble into soft curds, then mix them in with the aromatics.

  8. Fry the rice. Add the remaining oil and the rice. Press and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, until every grain is hot and separate. If your wok is small, do this in two batches. Pour in the seasoning and toss until the rice is evenly golden.

  9. Finish. Fold in the diced pineapple, shrimp and cashews and toss for 1 minute, just to heat through. Taste and add salt or a pinch of sugar if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the spring onions.

  10. Serve. Pile the rice into the pineapple boats, with any extra on a platter. Top with the pineapple cubes and cilantro and serve right away.

✦ tips

Keep the heat high. A very hot wok gives the rice that smoky, toasty edge. Crowding the pan steams it, so cook in batches if you need to.

Shrimp go back in last so they stay tender instead of rubbery!

✦ swaps

No dried chilis: use about 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.

No MSG: leave it out, or add a splash more soy sauce.

No shrimp: chicken thigh, cut small and cooked through before you set it aside, works well.