How to make Pineapple Fried Rice? (Healthy ad Delicious)

• Food: Pineapple Fried Rice
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

After all the tacos I ate yesterday, I haven’t done any serious cooking in our Austin kitchen yet, but this handmade Thai pineapple dish looks fairly enticing! I’m on a mission to consume all of Austin’s tacos.

Returning to Thai cuisine. This dish for pineapple fried rice was inspired by a holiday lunch at Sweet Basil in Norman, Oklahoma. The combination of sweet, caramelized pineapple and Thai spices was fantastic.

I can’t claim that my rendition is authentic, but it tastes very much like the food I remember. I substituted some leftover bell pepper for the tomato and it turned out excellent.

This fried rice is made in the same way as my spicy kale and coconut fried rice.

If you like that recipe, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one, as well as my veggie fried rice and coconut fried rice from my cookbook. Please let me know how it goes in the comments section!

Before getting Started

A handful of short observations:

1. This meal comes together quickly, so make sure you have all of your items ready to go before you begin.
2. Because chilled leftover rice does not clump together in stir fry, cook the rice ahead of time if time allows (see recipe notes).

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

Sweet and spicy pineapple fried rice in the Thai style, with red bell pepper, cashews, and cilantro. This vegetarian evening dinner is healthful and easy! Because this dish comes together quickly, make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time (including cold leftover rice).

This recipe makes 2 large, restaurant-style meals or 4 smaller ones.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or quality vegetable oil, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten with a dash of salt
• 1 ½ cups chopped fresh pineapple
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• ¾ cup chopped green onions (about ½ bunch)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ cup chopped raw, unsalted cashews
• 2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice*, preferably long-grain brown jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha
• Salt, to taste
• 1 small lime, halved
• A handful of fresh cilantro leaves, torn into little pieces, for garnishing

Instructions for Pineapple Fried Rice

1. Place an empty serving bowl near a big wok, cast-iron skillet, or nonstick frying pan that has been heated over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot put 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour in the eggs and heat, stirring regularly, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the eggs are scrambled and gently set. Fill the empty basin with the eggs. If necessary, wipe out the pan with a paper towel (be careful, it’s hot!).
2. Toss in the pineapple and red pepper with 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Cook, stirring regularly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the pineapple has caramelized on the edges. After that, toss in the green onion and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring regularly, until aromatic. Pour the contents of the pan into the egg bowl.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and drizzle in the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Cook, stirring regularly, until the cashews are aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the rice until it is evenly distributed throughout the pan. Cook, stirring periodically, until the rice is heated, about 3 minutes.
4. Return the contents of the bowl to the pan and whisk to incorporate, using your spoon to break up the scrambled eggs. Remove the pan from the heat after the contents have warmed through. To taste, add the tamari and chili garlic sauce. 12 lime juice, squeezed over the meal and stirred in. Set aside after seasoning to taste with salt.
5. Cut the remaining 12 lime wedges into four wedges. Serve the stir-fry in individual serving bowls with a lime wedge and a small sprinkle of cilantro on top. For those who want to add more to their bowls, serve with bottles of tamari, chili garlic sauce, or sriracha on the side.

NOTES

• RICE NOTE: You’ll need about 2/3 cup dry rice to make 2 cups cooked rice. To cook the rice, rinse it thoroughly in a fine mesh colander before placing it in a large saucepan of boiling water. Add the rice and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered. Return the rice to the pot after draining the remaining cooking water. Cover the pot and steam the rice for 10 minutes off the heat. To quickly chill the rice, put it out on a rimmed baking sheet coated with parchment paper and place it in the refrigerator.
• TO MAKE IT VEGAN/EGG-FREE, omit the eggs by preheating the pan before proceeding to step 2. Crispy-baked tofu, which you could put in during step 4, would be delicious with this fried rice.
• USE A GLUTEN-FREE SOY SAUCE: Make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce (tamari is usually gluten-free, but check to be sure).
• SUGGESTION FOR STORAGE: Whether reheated or eaten at room temperature, the dish is delicious the next day.