Thai Fried Rice With Shrimp (Khao Phad Kung)

Written by
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Darlene Schmidt
Updated 05/05/21
Thai Fried Rice With Shrimp (Khao Phad Kung)

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
795 Calories
23g Fat
109g Carbs
29g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 795
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 258mg 86%
Sodium 3148mg 137%
Total Carbohydrate 109g 40%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 12mg 58%
Calcium 145mg 11%
Iron 6mg 36%
Potassium 559mg 12%
*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 easy shrimp fried rice is restaurant-quality (or better!). Fresh or frozen shrimp are quickly stir-fried with garlic and onions. Add the cooked rice, a couple of eggs, frozen peas, plus a special Thai chili sauce (nam prik pao), and you have a fried rice recipe that is sure to please everyone, even your kids. A great way to use leftover rice—and leftover roasted chicken can also be added if you have some taking up space in the refrigerator. Add a chile pepper if you like it spicy.

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Ingredients

For the Stir-Fry Chili Sauce:

  • 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons chili sauce

  • 1 medium green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

For the Fried Rice:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup minced onion

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons white cooking wine

  • 8 to 12 medium shrimp, shelled

  • 2 large eggs

  • 4 cups cooked rice, preferably leftover

  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup frozen peas, or mixed vegetables

  • 1/2 cup cashews, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Thai Fried Rice With Shrimp (Khao Phad Kung) ingredients

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. Stir the stir-fry sauce ingredients together (except for the green onion). Set aside.

    sauce ingredients in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil plus the garlic and onions. Stir-fry 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant.

    garlic and onions in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. Add cooking wine and continue stir-frying another 2 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.

    cooking wine with onions and garlic in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Add the shrimp. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until shrimp have turned pink and plump.

    shrimp cooking in wok with onion mixture

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. Push shrimp to the side of your pan. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil, then crack eggs into the pan. Quickly fry to scramble, about 1 minute.

    eggs and shrimp cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  7. Keep the wok or frying pan hot for these last few steps (high heat). Add the rice, frozen peas and or mixed vegetables, and cashews (if using). Drizzle the stir-fry sauce over that.

    shrimp fried rice cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  8. Quickly begin "tossing" the rice in the wok/pan, using 2 utensils and a tossing-like motion (lifting from the bottom of the pan). Continue "stir-frying" in this way 3 to 7 minutes, or until rice and peas/vegetables are hot.

    shrimp fried rice cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  9. Remove from heat and taste-test. For greater flavor, add a little more fish sauce until desired taste is achieved. If it tastes too salty, add a few squeezes of fresh lime or lemon juice.

    shrimp fried rice cooking in a wok

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  10. Top with green onion and serve hot straight from the wok/pan. For those who like it extra spicy, add freshly cut chile pepper, or serve with more stir-fry sauce on the side. Enjoy.

    Thai Fried Rice With Shrimp (Khao Phad Kung) in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Tip

If you are using day-old rice (which makes for a much better fried rice), it will be lumpy and sticking together. To separate it, place the rice in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Now, using your fingers, mix the oil into the rice and separate the clumps, until the rice has returned into more or less individual grains.