Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

An authentic Thai Pineapple Fried Rice with shrimp that's served in pineapples! Ready to make in 30 minutes, this Shrimp Fried Rice that's easier to make than you think. A South East Asian favorite dinner recipe.

What's Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

I first tried Thai Pineapple Fried Rice on a trip to Malaysia, and I was hooked. It's a popular dish in Thailand and Malaysia, and has variations across South East Asia.

It's not regular Chinese Fried Rice with pineapple thrown in, but also not Hawaiian Fried Rice. The major difference is that the fried rice is flavored with curry, fish sauce and garnished with pork floss. All you need is a wok or large frying pan.

Ingredients in Pineapple Fried Rice

Fried Rice Stir Fry

• White Rice
• Shrimp
• Garlic
• Chili Pepper
• Red Bell Pepper
• Onion
• Cashews
• Whole Pineapple

Spices

• Turmeric
• Curry Powder

Sauces

• Fish Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Oyster Sauce (optional substitute to Soy Sauce)
• White Sugar

Garnish

• Cilantro
• Pork Floss

How to Make Pineapple Bowls

Serving fried rice inside a pineapple adds so much wow factor and great flavor. A fun, tasty and visually appealing way to serve rice. To hollow out a pineapple, follow these easy instructions.

1. Cut Pineapple in Half - with a sharp knife, slice pineapple in half lengthwise (including through the stem), making 2 equal halves.
2. Score Pineapple Flesh - leaving a 1" strip, cutting along outer edge of pineapple. Cut flesh using a grid pattern into cubed sections, allowing the pineapple to be used later.
3. Scoop Flesh - carefully spoon out the pineapple chunks with a knife or spoon, not cutting through pineapple skin. Remove any core pieces as they are too tough to eat.
4. Set Aside - save pineapple chunks for recipe, or refrigerate in an airtight container.
5. Trim Pineapple Bowl - using a sharp knife, trim the inside edges of the pineapple bowl for a neater presentation. Optional: to stabilize bowl on the plate, slice a thin layer on the bottom to create flat base for serving.

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, like Korean Fried Rice. However, not everyone has 4 cups of leftover rice though.

So how much uncooked rice do you need? Cook 1 ½ cups of uncooked rice for the right amount of cooked rice needed for this recipe. Remember to allow the rice to completely cool before using. If you use a bit more rice, that's ok. Just adjust extra Fish Sauce and Soy Sauce to adjust flavors.

Wok or Frying Pan

I love using my wok when making Fried Rice, however not everyone has a wok. Woks work best when cooked over gas on high heat, this allows for fast frying of your vegetables or meat. Of course you can use a large frying pan, or even an electric frying pan when making Pineapple Fried Rice.

Fresh or Frozen Shrimp for Fried Rice

With fresh shrimp, usually the bigger the better. However, that's quite expensive. It's perfectly ok to buy uncooked frozen shrimp when making Fried Rice. Don't frozen shrimp shame me! Do you think your take-out uses freshly caught shrimp flown in for your dinner? Most raw shrimp is flash frozen when they catch it, so it works great for this recipe.

How to Make Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

1. Fry Shrimp - Heat 1 tablespoon Oil in wok until hot. Fry the Garlic, Chili Peppers and Shrimp until cooked and opaque. Remove from wok and set aside.
2. Fry Vegetables - Add 1 tablespoon Oil to wok. Flash fry Onion, Bell Pepper with Turmeric and Curry Powder for about 2 minutes.
3. Add Rice - Mix in cooked Rice and Pineapple Chunks and stir together. Season with Fish Sauce, Soy Sauce and Sugar. Taste and add more if needed. Alternative sauce: Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce and Sugar.
4. Mix and Serve - toss in Cashews, cooked Shrimp and Cilantro. Serve in a hollowed Pineapple Boat. Garnish with Cilantro and Pork Floss.

What is Pork Floss?

We love eating Pineapple Fried Rice with Pork Floss in Malaysia, it's the real deal. So what is Pork Floss? It may sound different but it taste great. Pork floss is a type of dried meat with a cotton candy texture, used to garnish and flavor the Fried Rice.

Pork floss or rousong in chinese, can be substituted for beef or chicken floss called serunding in Malay. Found in all Asian supermarkets, however it can be expensive. You decide if you want to add it to this recipe.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Ripe Pineapples - buy a ripe and sweet pineapple. If the pineapple isn't sweet enough, it throws the flavour balance off and won't taste right.
• Day Old Rice - best to plan ahead and make the rice the day before or use leftover rice for best texture.
• Add Sweetness - if pineapple isn't sweet enough, add extra sugar to balance out the sweet, sour and salty flavors in this dish.
• Canned Pineapple - Substitute a whole can of pineapple chunks if not using a real pineapple
• Change Proteins - Replace the shrimp with chicken pork or beef, or add scrambled egg
• Always use Raw Shrimp - for best flavors, don't use cooked frozen shrimp. Raw, uncooked frozen shrimp gives better texture and the flavors will penetrate shrimp as they cook

Fresh Rice instead of Day Old Rice

When cooking fresh rice, make sure it's not too soggy and wet. Make as far in advance that you can, spread out cooked rice on a tray and place in the fridge to allow to dry before use.

Can I Freeze Pineapple Fried Rice?

Yes. Allow to fully cool before placing in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in refrigerator overnight before heating in a frying pan or wok.

Best Rice for Pineapple Fried Rice

Using a Medium Grain or Long Grain White Rice allows the flavors of recipe to shine, however Jasmine Rice is fragrant and commonly used when making Thai Pineapple Fried Rice. Alternative rice suggestions are Basmati, Brown Rice or even Cauliflower Rice.

Pineapple Fried Rice Variations

• Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice - substitute Fish Sauce with a vegetarian alternative. Change out shrimp with tofu.
• Spicy - add extra curry powder, fresh chili peppers or drizzle with Sambal Kicap
• Gluten Free - substitute Soy with Tamari or gluten free soy, ensuring curry powder, oyster sauce, fish sauce are also gluten free.
• Vegetable Boost - add extra veggies like diced carrot, baby corn, broccoli frozen peas or snow peas.

Asian Recipes You'll Love

• Cauliflower Fried Rice with Bacon
• Spiced Indian Rice
• Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks
• Thai Cauliflower Rice
• Kimchi Fried Rice
• San Choy Bow - Asian Lettuce Cups
• Thai Beef Rissoles
• Sambal Kicap - Indonesian spicy sauce
• Indonesian Fried Rice - Nasi Goreng

You'll love making this Thai Pineapple Fried Rice recipe because it's fun to serve in a pineapple boat with an easy wow factor, no part of the pineapple is wasted in your meal. An authentic Fried Rice recipe that everyone will love, even if your just a beginner cook! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

©PetersFoodAdventures.com *updated June 2024

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