This basic fried rice you can order from most of the Thai restaurants. No matter you sit in a luxury or a small one beside the street. There must be this recipe in their menu. Rice is the main food for Thai. When my husband saw me having rice every day, he curiously asked how many times Thai people have rice as their meals. I replied 3 times a day. Because for him rice is just like a snack. Because it’s not heavy enough like roti or bread to serve as meal. But for Thailand it’s different. We had rice since the ancient time. We were fed with rice since we were baby. So don’t be surprised when you being asked “ Kin kaw rue yung(Have you eaten rice)?” , means have you had breakfast/lunch/dinner yet ?. It’s a simple question to greet from us, Thais.

Back to simple fried rice, like I said before this recipe is very simple but to get delicious fried rice you have to get the right rice first. The rice should be firm and little harder than normal steam white rice. Otherwise you may get mashed fried rice.  So when you cook the rice for making fried rice, reduce amount of water. For example you normally put 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. Use 1 ¾ or 1 7/8  cups instead. Then continuously spread rice with a spoon or your hand . And it’s best to use over night rice or you can chill in the fridge few hours before stir frying. Second, use the medium heat for stir frying the rice and do quickly after adding the rice. With those tips you can make delicious fried rice easily at home.

Ingredients for 3-4 servings

• 150 g of Chicken breast*, cut into a bite size
• 2 tbsp  of cooking oil
  
• 2 cloves of Garlic, crushed and chopped
  
• 1 Large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• A half of onion, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk of green onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp of  Ketch up
• 2 tbsp of Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp of fish sauce or substituted with ½ tsp of salt
• Green onion brush, coriander leaves for garnishing

* Chicken meat can be substituted with shrimp, beef or meat as your choice.

Method

1. In a wok heat oil on medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant and light brown.
2. Stir in chicken and onion. Increase heat to high and stir fry until chicken is cooked thorough. Add egg and let it sit on the bottom for 1-2 minute or until the egg is cooked.
3. Reduce to medium heat, add tomato, rice, green onion, Ketch up, oyster sauce and fish sauce or salt. Quickly stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Serve with green onion brush or cucumber along with a zest of lemon and Prik Nam pla*.

*Prik Nam pla is the classic Thai condiment you always find on a Thai table, whether its a restaurant or home. It’s simply made by adding chopped green chilies or birds eye chilies into 1-2 tbsp of the fish sauce, squeeze a zest of lemon, stir and that’s it.

I hope you enjoy with my recipe.

@Fatimah’s Kitchen