IΒ first tried ThaiΒ Pineapple Fried Rice on a trip to Malaysia and I was hooked. It's a popular dish in Malaysia, which is directly beside Thailand, and has variations across South East Asia. I call this Malaysian Pineapple Fried Rice, but it's also Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, and Singapore has it's own versions too! I especially love adding homemade Sweet Chili Sauce to spice up the dish.
Everyone loves eating Fried Rice, it's a great way to use up leftover rice. I never seem to judge how much rice to cook, and always have too much rice leftover. This recipe is perfect for me, allowing me to use up leftover rice.
Not everyone knows how to make Pineapple Fried Rice properly. It's definitely not regular Chinese Fried Rice with pineapple thrown in. It's also not Hawaiian Fried Rice. I wonder if some of those Thai Pineapple Fried Rice recipe writersΒ have even been to Malaysia or Thailand? The flavor combination from Chinese and Thai flavours are completely different. I'll let you be the judge of some of theΒ recipes out there!
Pineapple Bowl Preparation
This recipe has the most wow factor when you serve it inside the pineapple. It's how it's served in Malaysia, and using fresh pineapple makes the recipe taste better. Of course you can use canned pineapple, it's cheaper and readily available, so don't skip making this recipe if you don't have the real pineapple. It will taste just as good when served on a plate!
To hollow out the pineapple, just slice it in half, and carefully remove the flesh. Leave enough on the sides to create a pineapple bowl, as pictured above. You want to de-core the middle woody part of the pineapple, as it's too tough to eat. Cut the pineapple into small even pieces, about the same size as you would get from canned pineapple pieces.
Pineapple Fried Rice with Leftover Rice
This recipe is best when made with leftover, day old rice. Often fried rice recipes are made this way, check out my Kimchi Fried Rice recipe. It's important not to make soggy rice. Nothing is worse than soggy rice, follow the recipe instructions, or use a rice cooker, but don't make soggy rice by adding too much water!
How much uncooked rice do you need? If making the rice right away for this recipe, allow rice to completely cool before using. I would cook 1 Β½ cups of uncooked rice for the right amount of cooked rice needed for this recipe.
Pineapple Fried Rice with Pork Floss
We eat this dish in Malaysia all the time, and there are variations in making this dish. Pork floss is a type of dried meat with a cotton candy texture, used to garnish and flavor the fried rice. The pork floss or rousong in chinese, can be substituted for beef or chicken floss called serunding in Malay. Some people prefer not to use it at all, as it is quite expensive.
Recipe Tips
- If pineapple isn't sweet enough, add a bit of sugar to balance out the sweet, sour and salty in this dish. Important to find a ripe and sweet pineapple. If the pineapple isn't sweet enough, it throws the flavour balance off and won't taste right.
- Substitute a whole can of pineapple if not using a real pineapple
- Replace the shrimp with chicken
- Use day old rice for best results
It's important to balance the sweet, sour and salty in this dish. If the pineapple isn't sweet enough, add sugar to correct the flavour. If using canned pineapple, I use a whole can and adjust sweetness as required. You can also replace the shrimp with chicken, or add chicken with the shrimp. Day old rice is best, or at least prepared and cooled a few hours in advance, otherwise freshly made rice can get soggy.
Fried Rice Recipes worth checking out
It's always fun to serve the Malaysian or Thai Pineapple Fried Rice in a hollowed pineapple boat. Adds and easy wow factor, plus the necessary pineapple your meal. An authentic South East Asian rice recipe that everyone will love! Bon Appetit! ΠΡΠΈΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π°ΠΏΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΡΠ°!
Ingredients
- 500 grams raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red chili finely sliced
- 1 red pepper capsicum
- Β½ small onion chopped
- Β½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 cups of cooked white rice
- 1 fresh pineapple whole, cored and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Β½ cup cashew nuts
- cilantro
- pork floss for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok until hot. Fry the garlic and red chili until fragrant. Add the shrimp and fry shrimp until it is cooked. Removed from heat and set aside. Don't overcook the shrimp!
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok. Fry the onion, turmeric, curry powder and red pepper and fry for about 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and pineapple and stir together. Then add the fish sauce, soy sauce. Stir fry for another minute. Taste and adjust if necessary.
- Add the cashews, cooked shrimp and cilantro. Serve in a hollowed pineapple boat, garnish with cilantro and pork floss and serve immediately.
Β©PetersFoodAdventures.com
Antonia
I have successfully made this about five times now it is that good! Thank you for this recipe.
Peter's Food Adventures
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback
Leyla
Hi, I made this recipe last night for dinner with a Thai Red Curry Chicken. This rice recipe was perfection!! I did make some tweaks because I did not have the exact ingredients but the core of the recipe was still there.
The details of the recipe helped me make sure not to mess up the rice. I made the rice a few hours ahead of time and made it slightly on the dryer and fluffier side by not soaking or adding too much water while cooking. Also, I fried some egg and added it in as a garnish later. I like egg in fried rice! I did not use shrimp or chicken because I already another main course. Amazingly, I even had frozen fresh pineapple pieces that I defrosted and this worked great to keep on hand in a pinch. I also did not have fish sauce and used oyster sauce instead. It's a little on the sweeter side so I did not need to add any sugar. Thank you for this recipe! With the order of ingredients and especially how the curry and turmeric powder is used in the recipe, it really brings the authenticity and is a definite keeper! My husband LOVED it! π
PetersFoodAdventures
Hi Leyla! Thanks so much for checking it out! It shows how versatile the recipe can be, love the frozen pineapple idea!!! So glad you guys loved it!!! ???? Thanks for the great feedback! π
Alisa
Do you use fresh tumeric or powdered tumeric? Also what type of cooking oil is best to use? Thank you π
PetersFoodAdventures
Hi Alisa, I use powdered turmeric, and you can use any cooking oil you like with a neutral flavor, like canola or vegetable oil! π
Leyla
I used coconut oil when I tried the recipe, and I thought it really worked nicely to bring a little sweetness.
PetersFoodAdventures
Great idea!
Liane
I'm
I'm trying this tonight. I'd love to know if you have a drunken noodle recipe....
Pad-Ke-Mow.... it's a favorite of ours but I find it really hard to find a restaurant that makes this well on a consistently good basis....
Thanks
Liane
PetersFoodAdventures
Hi Liane, sorry I don't have a drunken noodle recipe, but will keep an eye out for it! Hope you love the pineapple fried rice! ????
Youth Food Blog
I occasionally venture into fried rice, and this will be a good one to try.
Rotwein
Oh I had no idea how to use pork floss. Love pineapple and soy sauce combination! but the curry and turmeric powder will make it much more yummy :-9
PetersFoodAdventures
Thanks Rotwein! It's definitely a delicious dish! Hope you try it and enjoy it! ????
Katie Kelly
I love this! I love adding pineapple in with Asian inspired dishes. Plus the hollowed out shell makes for such fun plating!
PetersFoodAdventures
Thanks Katie! I love making this, fun and delicious! π Thanks for checking it out!