Thailand / Main
Khao Pad Gai (Thai Chicken Fried Rice)
Khao pad gai is Thai-style fried rice with chicken, as street vendors in the central region of Thailand make it. Note that this is a very imprecise recipe, and so "cups" means "handfuls". Any measuring tool that holds about the capacity of a large handful will do.
Ingredients
- peanut oil
- chicken breast, large; sliced in thin strips1
- eggs, unbeaten2
- Thai jasmine rice, cooked; 900 g; refrigerated overnight4 cup
- yellow onion, cut into strips1/2
- roma tomato, cut into strips3/4
- green onions, thinly sliced2
- cilantro, finely chopped; 180 g3/4 cup
- Thai fish sauce, nam pla
- soy sauce
- sugar, preferably palm sugar1 tbsp
- salt1 tsp
- garlic, minced and fried2 clove
- vinegar
- MSG1 tsp
- Thai chili sauce, Thai2 tbsp
- cucumber, peeled; optionally score all sides lightly with a fork3 slice
- roma tomato3 slice
- green onion3 sprig
- lettuce leaf1 leaf
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 11 steps
Make sure that all of the ingredients are prepared and set aside in small bowls by the stove.
Add about 4 Tbsp peanut oil to the wok, and turn the flame to high heat.
When the oil is almost smoking, add the chicken strips and push around vigorously with a wok spoon or spatula.
When the chicken seems as if it is starting to brown, push it up the side of the wok and crack the eggs into the wok.
Stir the eggs around a bit. When almost fully scrambled, mix in the chicken and stir around for 30 seconds more.
Push the eggs/chicken to the side, add some more oil, and throw in the tomato and onion. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes. They will not look done, but in the end, they will be fine.
Add the cold cooked rice and mix it all in.
Turn the heat to low, then add a few splashes of fish sauce and soy sauce to taste.
Add sugar, salt, MSG, a splash of vinegar, and chili sauce if wanted. Lastly, add the fried garlic on top. Stir it all in and turn off the heat.
On a large platter, arrange the garnishes on a lettuce leaf, and plate the fried rice next to it.
Eat the garnishes with the fried rice.
