Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (Khao Pad Sapparod) combines juicy pineapple, shrimp, and curry-spiced rice with cashews and raisins for a sweet-savory dish that's ready in under 30 minutes
Pineapple Fried Rice (also known as Khao Pad Sapparod) sounds quite fancy, especially when it's served in a pineapple boat, but it's actually one of the easiest Thai dishes you can make at home. With just a handful of pantry staples, you can have a restaurant-quality meal on the table in under 30 minutes!
This dish combines juicy pineapple, shrimp, and curry-spiced rice with cashews and raisins. Adding pineapple and raisins to a savory rice dish may seem a bit strange, but the sweetness balances beautifully against the savory notes of curry and fish sauce.
Anytime we go out for Thai food, the first thing my husband looks for on the menu is Pineapple Fried Rice. So I made it my mission to bring that same flavor into my own kitchen (and save a few bucks!)
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One thing to keep in mind: this isn't really a "throw in whatever you have" kind of fried rice. The curry powder, fish sauce, and pineapple all work together in a very specific way, so I'd stick close to the ingredient list. That said, chicken or pork both work really well in place of shrimp if you'd like to try a different protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken and pork pair really nicely with the curry and pineapple flavors. Cut them into small, bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
Absolutely! Skip the shrimp and fish sauce (use soy sauce or a vegetarian fish sauce alternative). You can add scrambled egg or tofu for more protein.
I personally love jasmine rice for this dish but any medium or long grain white rice will work just fine.
Try to eat the shrimp fresh if you can. They do not reheat very well and only last 1 - 2 days in the fridge.
The rice itself keeps much better. Store it in an airtight container without the shrimp and it will be good for 3 - 4 days.
To reheat, use a hot wok or pan with a splash of water to loosen and steam the rice, or just microwave it if you're in a hurry.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- ½ lb raw shrimp peeled, deveined
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ a medium-sized onion chopped
- 5 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
- Raisins optional
- Whole cashews optional
- Cilantro for garnish
- Tomato wedges or slices for garnish
Instructions
- Heat up wok to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to wok, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry till shrimp is cooked, then remove from wok.
- Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in the wok, then add curry powder, turmeric, onion and garlic. Fry till fragrant (about 30 seconds)
- Add the rice to the wok, constantly stirring to mix well. Add fish sauce, sugar and soy sauce.
- Add the pineapple, raisins and cashews.
- Garnish with cilantro and tomato.
- Enjoy!
Adam says
I love the serving dish you use for this! Lots of good flavors going on.
Char says
Thanks, Adam! 🙂