Fine Cooking Magazine - November/December 2020

Servings: 4

This classic Thai dish is full of contrasts: Tender rice is complemented by crunchy cashews; sweet pineapple and raisins bring out the salty backdrop of fish sauce; and fresh cilantro plays up the earthy notes in soy sauce. Be sure to use day-old cooked rice; it’s drier than freshly cooked rice and will maintain a firmer texture.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
2 Tbs. grapeseed or other neutral oil, such as canola
1 medium sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 2 cups)
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. fish sauce; more as needed
1 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
3 cups day-old unsalted cooked jasmine rice
1-1/2 cups medium-diced fresh pineapple (about half a large pineapple)
1/2 cup whole cashews, toasted
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce; more as needed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro; more for garnish

Calories (kcal) : 470
Fat Calories (kcal): 140
Fat (g): 16
Saturated Fat (g): 2.5
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 7
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6
Cholesterol (mg): 85
Sodium (mg): 1470
Carbohydrates (g): 64
Fiber (g): 4
Protein (g): 20

Preparation

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 tsp. salt.
Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once, until pink and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in the skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently with a spatula, until browned on the edges but not completely soft, about 2 minutes. Add the scallion and cook, stirring, until browned and wilted, about 30 seconds. Add the garlic, fish sauce, and chili-garlic sauce and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring to break up any clumps, until the mixture is well combined and heated through, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp and any accumulated juices, the pineapple, cashews, raisins (if using), and soy sauce. Season to taste with more soy sauce or fish sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve garnished with additional cilantro.

Tip

See the Test Kitchen post to learn how to prep a pineapple.

(7 ratings) Read Reviews

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Reviews

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Reviews (7 reviews)

MommyDot | 01/31/2015
This just didn't work for me, although very highly rated. I admit I ran out of fish sauce so used some oyster, and I didn't have quite a half pound of shrimp. I thought too many onions.
RobynB2 | 05/22/2014
This is one of my favorite weeknight meals. It comes together quickly with very little prep work and the flavors are amazing. After making it as written a couple of times with good results, I did decide to add a little more shrimp and a little less soy sauce. This one is definitely a keeper!
MML | 08/01/2012
Outstanding! My 3.5 year old twins loved the cashews, shrimp, and pineapple. I used about 4 cups of rice and .75 lbs of shrimp but kept the seasoning amounts the same (and used full-salt soy sauce). My husband requested more shrimp next time. Definitely a keeper. I find the fish sauce odor to be off-putting on its own, but have faith: the flavors come together with the soy sauce and are fantastic.
Mahiwema | 01/26/2012
I had everything in the pantry but the pineapple (I thought). Turns out I had no chili garlic sauce, so I threw in some garlicky, spicy Asian dressing left over from a take-out salad, and it hit just the right note.. This was easy to make for a weeknight and my only addition was mung bean sprouts, because I can't have fried rice without them. I always use low sodium soy sauce, so 1/4 cup didn't seem too salty to me.

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What We're Cooking Now

Name: Thai-Style Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp and Cashews
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), peeled and deveined; Kosher salt; 2 Tbs. grapeseed or other neutral oil, such as canola; 1 medium sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 2 cups); 1 large scallion, thinly sliced; 2 large cloves garlic, minced; 2 Tbs. fish sauce; more as needed; 1 tsp. chili-garlic sauce; 3 cups day-old unsalted cooked jasmine rice; 1-1/2 cups medium-diced fresh pineapple (about half a large pineapple); 1/2 cup whole cashews, toasted; 1/4 cup raisins (optional); 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce; more as needed; 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro; more for garnish