Recipe: Authentic Thai Fried Rice
Well, I promised another recipe so here it is: Thai Fried Rice.
Thai Fried Rice is simple and easy to make, yet it can be difficult to recreate that delicious fried rice you had in your favorite Thai restaurant. Well, I’ve made many a variation of fried rice and with a bit of guidance from my Thai family, I think I’ve nailed it. With a few key ingredients, you can recreate these authentic Thai flavors at home!
Authentic Thai Fried Rice
Equipment
- Wok**
Materials
- 2 cup cooked jasmine rice (see note)
- 3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil (in squeeze bottle, as needed)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 2 eggs
- 2 Thai bird's eye chilis, thinly sliced (to taste)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 small onion, small dice
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 2 stalks Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems thinly sliced on a bias, leaves cut into ribbons (keep stems and leaves separated)
- 1 lime, quartered
- 150 g chicken or another protein of choice, bite-sized pieces (optional)
- ½ tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp Golden Mountain Sauce (optional)
Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp mushroom soy sauce
- 1.5 tsp Thai chicken powder
Instructions
- Combine chicken with Golden Mountain Sauce and sugar; set aside.
- If using day-old rice (see note), transfer to a medium bowl and break the rice up with your hands into individual grains before proceeding. Heat 1/2 tablespoon (7ml) vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add half of rice and cook, stirring and tossing, until the rice is pale brown and toasted and has a lightly chewy texture, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with another 1/2 tablespoon oil and remaining rice.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat, coat bottom of the pan with oil, add marinated chicken and let brown on one side. Once browned, toss the chicken and cook until done. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add onion and Chinese broccoli stems and sauté until the onion is translucent.
- In the same wok, add a little more oil to coat the bottom, and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chilis and sauté until lightly browned, remove from pan.
- Add eggs, break the yolks, and let the egg set about half way then scramble briefly. Add rice and toss briefly, breaking up big lumps with the back of your spatula.
- Add all sauce ingredients and toss, breaking up lumps, until the rice is evenly coated in the sauce and the grains are all separated.
- Add the vegetables, garlic, chilis, and chicken back into the wok.
- Add the green onion and Chinese broccoli leaves and toss just to wilt the leaves.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with a lime wedge and topped with chopped cilantro.
Notes
When making Thai fried rice it’s important to use Thai soy sauce. There are tons of different kinds, but the key ingredients here are the Mushroom soy sauce and the Thai chicken powder. They bring the specific flavor profile that this dish requires.
You can find these ingredients in many Asian markets but if you’re a Sacramento local I highly recommend going to Pothong Market.
You can also find the soy sauces, chicken powder, and other ingredients on Amazon. Check out my little Thai Pantry list.
Happy cooking!
With my love of all things design and food, it was only natural for me to start a blog. I want to share with others my adventures as I travel, eat, read, photograph, and discover my way through Sacramento. As a Realtor, it’s important to me to know what’s happening in my community. And why not share that with you?