Thai Fried Rice With Pineapple and Prawns

Written by
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Darlene Schmidt
Updated 04/30/21
Thai Fried Rice With Pineapple and Prawns

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
633 Calories
6g Fat
131g Carbs
16g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 633
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 1011mg 44%
Total Carbohydrate 131g 48%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Protein 16g
Calcium 115mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This special Thai fried rice recipe is simple to make and so delicious! It can be served either as a side dish or full course meal and makes a terrific addition to any dinner party or potluck.

This special fried rice includes juicy pineapple and plump shrimp or prawns in addition to vegetables, plus a touch of sweetness (currants or raisins) and crunch (cashews) for a taste sensation in every bite.

This is one of the signature dishes of Thailand, often served on a pretty platter or in a carved-out pineapple. It's a true crowd-pleaser and is sure to be a hit at your table.

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Ingredients

  • For Stir Fry Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Thai curry powder (or regular curry powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • For Thai Fried Rice with Prawns:
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked rice (preferably several days old)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1/4 cup shallots (finely chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 red or green chili (thinly sliced, or 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed chili flakes)
  • Optional: 1 to 1 1/2 cups bell pepper (green or red, diced)
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock (divided)
  • Handful raw prawns or shrimp (shells removed or tail-on)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 small can pineapple chunks (drained, or 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup currants or raisins
  • 1/2 cup cashews (roasted unsalted)
  • Garnish: 2 to 3 spring onions (finely sliced)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Thai Fried Rice With Pineapple and Prawns ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Combine stir-fry sauce ingredients—fish sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar—together in a cup, stirring to dissolve. Set aside.

    fish sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar in a bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. If using leftover rice, oil your fingers with up to 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, then work through the rice with your hands, separating any chunks back into grains. Set aside.

    separate any chunks of rice

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl around.

    wok with oil

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Then add shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying for 1 minute.

    shallots, garlic and chili in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Add bell pepper, if using, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken stock. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes.

    bell pepper added to the garlic in the wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Add the shrimp plus chicken stock, 1 to 2 tablespoons. at a time, enough to keep ingredients sizzling. Stir-fry until shrimp turn pink and plump (2 to 3 minutes).

    shrimp added to the bell pepper in the wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Push ingredients aside and crack the egg into the pan, stirring quickly to cook (like making scrambled eggs).

    eggs scrambling in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Add the rice, pineapple chunks, peas, and currants/raisins.

    rice, pineapple chunks, peas, and currants/raisins added to shrimp in the wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Drizzle stir-fry sauce mixture over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat. You want the rice to "dance" (make popping sounds) as it fries— 5 to 10 minutes—, or until rice has achieved desired lightness.

    pineapple fried rice cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Toward the end of this cooking time, add the cashews.

    cashews added to the pineapple fried rice

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  12. Remove from heat. Taste-test for salt and flavor, adding more fish sauce until desired taste is achieved.

    pineapple fried rice in a wok

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  13. To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter or in a carved-out pineapple boat if serving at a party. Top with spring onions and enjoy.

    Thai Fried Rice With Pineapple and Prawns in a bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tips

  • Always scrape from the bottom of the pan as you fry the rice. Avoid adding any more stock at this point, or your rice will become heavy; you want the pan hot and dry. However, you can push ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the pan or wok (this provides that special 'shine' you see in restaurant fried rice).

Do You Have to Use Day Old Rice for Fried Rice?

It is best to use leftover day-old (or two) rice for your fried rice. You will find that leftover chilled rice fries better than a batch of newly cooked rice. Fresh rice ends up clumping and does not have the firm texture that leftover rice provides.

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