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Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

This classic Thai pineapple fried rice includes succulent shrimp, juicy pineapple, plump raisins, and fragrant curry powder! It will satisfy your craving for takeout at a fraction of the price.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 501 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small red or green chili, minced (de-seeded for milder rice)
  • 12 fresh extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 8 ounces depending on their size)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth or stock
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ cup roasted unsalted cashews
  • 4 cups plain cooked rice (at least 1 day old, cold)
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh is better, but canned works too–about half a 20-ounce can)
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • ¼ cup raisins or currants
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add oil to a wok or large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying for one minute, or until fragrant. Add the shrimp and toss a few times. If the wok becomes too dry, add a little broth or water.
  2. Push the mixture aside to make room for the eggs. Add the beaten eggs to the wok, and stir fry quickly to cook, as if you are making scrambled eggs. Mix the cooked eggs into the shrimp and shallot mixture.
  3. Combine the chicken broth, fish sauce, curry powder, and sugar in a small bowl, and add to the wok.
  4. Add the cashews and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  5. Next add the rice to the wok, breaking it up if there are any chunks. Stir-fry until all the rice has mixed with the sauce and is a uniform color. Make sure you continually scoop the rice from the bottom of the pan, tossing like a salad rather than stirring it.
  6. Add the pineapple, peas, and raisins. Toss to combine, and taste for seasoning. Continue stir-frying for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add half the scallions and toss.
  7. To serve, sprinkle with the remaining scallion. Serve on a platter or in a pineapple, like they do in Thailand.

Notes

  • I use Trader Joe’s white or brown jasmine rice. 1 cup dry jasmine rice (white or brown) will yield about 4 cups cooked.
  • Thai bird's eye chiles would be most authentic for fresh chiles, but you can use whatever is available, like a jalapeno for example. If you don't have fresh chilies you can simply added a bit of chili paste/sauce to your sauce mixture. You can also omit the chiles for no spice in your rice.
  • If using canned pineapple chunks, make sure they are packed in pineapple juice and not syrup. Also strain them well before using to remove excess juice before adding to the rice.
  • You can swap out the shrimp for thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs, or cubed tofu if you prefer. You can also do a combination of 2 or 3. In this case, I would cook the chicken first, push it to the side, and then add the shrimp and/or tofu before proceeding with the eggs as directed.
  • If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, in addition to omitting the shrimp (and possibly the egg depending on the type of vegetarian) and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth or water, you'll also need to replace the fish sauce with a vegetarian substitute. You can try a vegan fish sauce, coconut aminos, or a combination of soy sauce and vinegar, although the flavor will be slightly different in each case.

Nutrition Information

Calories 501kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 70g (23%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 159mg (53%) Sodium 1221mg (51%) Potassium 215mg (6%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 16g (32%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 501

% Daily Value*

Calories 501kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 70g 23%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 159mg 53%
Sodium 1221mg 51%
Potassium 215mg 5%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 16g 32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.