Pineapple Fried Rice
In Thailand, a more elaborate version of Pineapple Fried Rice calls for the fried rice to be served in a carved-out pineapple.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 to 3
- Coconut-Scented Rice
- ¼ pound shrimp, shelled, deveined
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black or white pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce or fish sauce
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
- 2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
One day ahead of time, prepare the Coconut-Scented Rice. Store the rice in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly beat the eggs, stirring in the salt and pepper.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the egg mixture. Lightly scramble the eggs. Remove them from the pan and clean out the pan.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the onion and the shrimp. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp turns pink and the onion begins to soften. Add the red bell pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, stirring in the soy sauce. Stir in the pineapple.
Push the vegetables to the sides or remove from the wok (whether you need to do this will depend on the size of your wok) and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the cooked rice to the hot oil and stir-fry briefly. Either add the vegetables back into the pan or stir to mix the rice in with the vegetables. Stir in the scrambled eggs and the green onions. Stir in the oyster sauce. Stir-fry briefly to heat through, and serve hot.
Rice — the Staff of Life
Rice is the primary source of energy for over half of the world's population, largely because it is an excellent source of energy and has a high calorie count, and is relatively inexpensive to grow. Also, rice can be directly consumed after harvesting, without any further processing (unlike cereal crops such as wheat, which need to be processed into cereal, flour, or another food before being consumed).
