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.
Total Time
40 minutes
Servings
3 as a meal
Peanut oil
1 large chicken breast, sliced in thin strips
2 eggs, unbeaten
4 cups (900 g) cooked Thai jasmine rice, refrigerated overnight
½ yellow onion, chopped into strips
¾ roma tomato, cut into strips
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¾ cup (180 g) cilantro, finely chopped
Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
Soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar (preferably palm sugar)
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced and fried
Vinegar
1 tsp MSG
2 Tbsp Thai chili sauce
3 slices cucumber, peeled (note: can run fork down all sides lightly if desired)
3 slices roma tomato
3 sprigs green onion
Lettuce leaf
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.
30 seconds
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.
5 minutes
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.