Pineapple Fried Rice

A popular fried rice in Thailand, this is a variation of the fried rice with added pineapple chunks. The sweetness of the pineapple and the tangy soy sauce combine to make it flavourful.

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Ingredients:

Pineapple  chunks – ½ cup

Cooked Jasmine Rice (preferred) or Basmati Rice – 2 cups

White pepper powder/black pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Garlic finely chopped – 4 cloves

Onion – 1 diced

Carrots – 1  diced

Frozen peas – 1/4 cup

Spring Onions – 2 stalks

Green Chillies – 2 slit

Red/Yellow Capscium –1  diced

Eggs – 2

Salt – As required

Sauce 1:

Soya Sauce – 2 tbsp

Oyster sauce – ½ tbsp or Sriracha – ½ tbsp

Optional (Sauce 2):

Soya sauce – 2 tbsp

 Fish sauce (optional) – for authentic thai taste

Sugar (if using the fish sauce) – ¼ tsp (optional)

Lime juice – ¼ tsp

Preparation:

Wash the jasmice rice thoroughly. To a boiling pot of water, add the washed jasmine rice with little salt. Let it simmer for 7-8 minutes with no lid on medium heat. Check if it has cooked and using a colander, strain the water. Since the jasmine rice is stickier than normal rice, I prefer to discard the water while it is cooking after about 5 minutes to get rid of the starch and add hot water to the rice again to cook. Once it is strained, spread it on a plate and cool it. You may also place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes as fried rice always turns out well with leftover rice or rice which is not hot.

Heat oil in a wok or a large skillet. Add the chopped garlic and green chillies and stir for a minute. Add the chopped onions and saute until it becomes translucent. Stir in the chopped carrots, peas and capsicum and stir on high heat for just about 2 minutes.  Push the vegetables to the side of the wok and add 2 eggs to it and stir it on high flame till it cooks. Scramble the eggs and let it cook. When it is cooked, add the cooked rice, pineapple chunks, spring onions, pepper powder and stir it on high heat. Add the sauce and stir again lightly and quickly.  Take it off the fire and serve immediately. Since soya sauce is salty, add salt only if you require.

The key to this recipe is good quality jasmice rice. You may use basmati rice if you do not prefer jasmine rice. Also, the veggies should be crisp and not overcooked. The vegetables should be stir fried or tossed in high heat for a short time.