Thursday, April 12, 2012

Thai-Style Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Rice



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another easy Asian knock-off. This version of fried rice is adapted from a recipe originally develop by Nancie McDermott, one of my favorite food writers. I don't have great luck with most cookbooks and rarely walk away with more than two recipes to show for the time and  money I've spent, but her books, like those of Julia, Ina, Dorie and Mark Bittman, are treasures, and the trick is to find a bad recipe between the covers. I say that without need for a disclaimer. I simply appreciate the ease with which her recipes come together. Her books target everyday cooks who want something special to serve their families, and while her food is not sophisticated, it is delicious and almost always quick to prepare. If you'd like to learn more about Nancie, pay a visit to her website, which you can find here. I really like this recipe and often serve it for lunch or a light supper. The trick to any good fried rice is using leftover rice that has firmed and can be separated into individual grains. I personally think it is necessary to control the amount of liquid that goes into this kind of stir-fry. I really dislike wet and gummy rice, so I use fresh or well-drained canned pineapple to make it. The shrimp helps make the dish more substantial and adds some much needed texture texture to the mix. In the real world, I coarsely chop them so they are the same size as the pineapple and peas. I hope you will try this simple dish. I really think you'll like it. Here's the recipe.

Thai-Style Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Rice
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Nancie McDermott

Directions:
4 cups cooked (preferably leftover) rice, chilled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small jalapeno, stemmed, seed and chopped chopped (optional)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1-1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Garnish: Chopped green onions

Directions:
1) Break clumps of chilled rice into a bowl and separate into individual grains.
2) Heat a wok or large high-sided skillet over high heat. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add garlic, onion and jalapeno and toss or stir until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minutes. Add shrimp and toss or stir-fry until onions wilt and shrimp turns pink and is cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3) Add rice, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and toss to combine well. Stir in pineapple and peas and stir-fry until rice is heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Turn rice onto a serving platter. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 4 servings.








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33 comments :

Amalia said...

It's been ages since I've had any kind of Asian food and you've got me craving some! I love how simple and easy this recipe is to make, nothing too fancy, but delicious nonetheless. All the components of this dish create such a beautiful and colorful meal. I would love to have a plate of this for dinner :)

Priya Suresh said...

Omg, super tempting and flavourufl fried rice, just loving it..

Sue/the view from great island said...

This would definitely be a family pleaser in this house! I hope Bob is doing well.

Diane said...

This sounds The Perfect Bite to me :) Keep well Diane

Kim said...

I made a recipe like yours a couple of months ago and I really like it! I have pineapple, think I'm going to give it a try!

Barbara said...

Nice combination, Mary. And speedy to put together. Love meals like this.

Anonymous said...

Que rica esta ensalada de arroz! Por fin llega el buen tiempo y apetecen estos platos!!!
Un abrazo

Unknown said...

Oh, Mary, this is right up my alley. This is a dish that is found on our table quite often.. or at least something similar. There is something magical about pineapple an shrimp together in a dish like this!

Tricia @ saving room for dessert said...

Pineapple and rice are perfect together. I bet this is delicious! Hope your husband is doing well.

Chiara said...

very nice combination Mary! blessings...

Lynda said...

This dish looks perfect for my husband and I. With just the 2 of us now, I'm always looking for something tasty, but easy.This will do nicely. Thanks Mary, and have a lovely day.

Gloria Baker said...

look really nice Mary:!

Suzie said...

This looks so good. Just printed it off :)

Becka (The Elegant Eggplant) said...

This is a great dish. LOVE that you added pineapple and jalapeno.. those go so well together. Can't wait to make this one!

Ginny Hartzler said...

This looks so light and refreshing! And I imagine it would be really good for digestion, with the rice and the pineapple enzymes.

Dining Alone said...

What an awesome low fat alternative for fried rice! I love sweet and savory together.

SImple and Serene Living said...

I love shrimp and pineapple. This definitely sounds like a winner, Mary.

Angie's Recipes said...

Light yet very flavourful and delicious!

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

This looks like the real deal. Why would one every bother with takeout again?

Namitha said...

Wow, the flavor from pineapple and shrimp must be a heavenly combination !Looks pretty too :)

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Love the sweet and sour aspect of this dish. Beautiful meal, as yours always are :)

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

One of our favorites this looks great!

Ellen Whyte said...

I love this. We were in Bangkok last month and had the most scrumptious food. This dish as well as pig's ear salad, squid with chili, and the most amazing green and yellow curries. Delish!

Joanne said...

I am such a lover of all things thai...especially all things that are quick and easy and thai!

kitchen flavours said...

This looks delicious! Pineapple fried rice is my daughter's favourite! Thanks for sharing! Have a nice day!

Tandy | Lavender and Lime (http://tandysinclair.com) said...

this would be perfect for me, without the pineapple :)

Zee said...

We have a local restaurant here that serves shrimp fried rice with a sweet and sour pineapple curry and its awesome! I am loving your version too and it sounds so easy and delicious! Will definitely try it on the weekend!

lena said...

one of my favourites:) you did it so well here, mary.

Claudia said...

Pineapple plus heat plus shrimp is one of my favorite combinations. It is indeed wonderful when you own a cookbook and can cook anything from it. I shall look into this book.

Salsa Verde said...

Love this suggestion!
Lia.

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I have long loved fried rice.

Tanna said...

Mary, I've been scanning through to find news of your Silver Fox. I am hoping he is doing well and holding you both in prayer. blessings ~ tanna

Jo-Lyn said...

This looks yummy, but I'm not sure about the shrimp and pineapple combo?!?!?! Might have to give this one a try?!?!?

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