- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 Shrimp, (leave half whole, and cut the rest into small pieces)
- 1 egg
- 250 grams cooked rice, (about 1.5 cups)
- ¼ cup small diced onions
- 1 tablespoon Thai soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon White pepper
- 1 teaspoon prepared shrimp tomalley, a.k.a. shrimp paste (optional)
- ½ cup Pineapple, fresh if you can, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons raisins, (optional)
- ⅓ cup roasted or fried cashews, unsalted
- 2 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup tomatoes, seeds removed, cut into half inch cubes
- Cucumber slices, for serving
I have a soft spot for fried rice, and I usually eat too much of it in one sitting because I just find it so hard to stop, especially with pineapple fried rice. With all of its many ingredients, there is a lot going on—the nuttiness of the cashews, the sweet-tartness of the pineapple, and the fragrance of the curry powder. Choose any kind of curry powder that you like for this, there is no right or wrong. I actually started out with store-bought curry powder and doctored it up with the spices in my pantry until the smell of it really struck a chord with me. It’s a great way to make your version unique!
ingredients
directions
1. In a wok or a large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil until hot. Sear the whole shrimp until done; remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the small pieces of shrimp and cook until done; remove and set aside. |
2. Add more oil to the wok if needed, then add the egg and scramble slightly. When the egg is half way cooked, add the rice and toss to mix. Add the diced onions and toss to mix. Add curry powder, white pepper, sugar, salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and shrimp paste (if using); toss until the rice grains are separated and the seasoning is well mixed. Add the pineapple, raisins (if using), cashews, and small pieces of shrimp; toss until the pineapples start to darken slightly and the rice is dry. Turn off the heat and toss in tomatoes and green onions. |
3. Serve on a plate or in a pineapple bowl with some cucumber slices. Top with the whole shrimp and extra green onions. |
Notes
 Leftover cold rice is perfect for fried rice, but if you need to make fresh rice, use a little less water than normal and, if possible, refrigerate before using. |
| This shrimp paste is not to be confused with fermented shrimp paste (gapi). This one is made from shrimp tomalley that has been cooked with herbs and seasoning. It is orange, comes in a glass jar, and is usually labelled “shrimp paste with soybean oil”. |
| Fresh Or Canned? Even though canned pineapple can be used for this recipe, I suggest using fresh. For a savory application, I find canned pineapple to be too sweet. The tartness of fresh pineapple works well to balance the saltiness of the rice without making it too sweet. |
