In my kitchen, fried rice is not a way to use up leftover rice. It is a way of life. Fried rice is a great idea to use up leftover rice, but I rarely have enough to make a batch…unless I plan for it and make lots of extra! Fried rice is so easy to make, you won’t need to get takeout fried rice after trying this Pineapple Fried Rice recipe!
Pineapple fried rice is traditional in Thailand. This recipe is not a very traditional one because I choose to use peanuts instead of cashews, and I didn’t add any raisins or currants. I made these decisions because I tend to always have peanuts in the pantry (they are so handy for a quick snack!), and I wanted the pineapple to lend all the sweetness and stand out in this dish, so I omitted raisins.
I love the sweet and spicy nature of this fried rice dish. I have tried both fresh and canned pineapple, and I prefer the fresh, but canned will do. Be sure to cut the tidbits into smaller pieces so that you get some pineapple in every bite! We like to make a double batch and have leftovers for lunches, or more dinners later in the week. This recipe will keep in the fridge easily for a week. Enjoy!
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 TBS ginger, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flake
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 12 oz bag of peas and carrots, frozen
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup pineapple, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 3 TBS soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp cardamom
- Pinch cayenne
- ½ cup peanuts, for garnish
- Drizzle ½ tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet or wok (I use a 15 inch cast iron). Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until it starts to become translucent. Add garlic through red pepper flake and sauté 1 more minute.
- Push the onion mixture to the side of the pan and add the rest of the oil. Pour eggs into one half of the pan and scramble, cooking until they are set. Add peas and carrots to the onion mixture. Cook until thawed and heated through.
- Add rice and pineapple to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Combine sugar through cayenne. Sift over rice. Drizzle soy sauce over rice. Stir to coat evenly with seasoning and soy sauce.
- Separate into 4 servings and garnish each with 2 tablespoons of peanuts.
Adapted from About Food.
