Khao Pad, popularly known as Thai Fried Rice, is a signature dish of Thai cuisine.
It's available in both veg and non-veg versions.
Read ahead!
Khao Pad is different from Chinese Fried Rice, in terms of the ingredients, cooking techniques, and more. The dish is easy-to-prepare and served in both roadside stalls and lavish restaurants across Thailand. It boasts a distinctive flavor that is truly a delight for your taste buds. Also, it's usually less spicy (in comparison to some popular Thai dishes), making a perfect meal for people having a low tolerance for spiciness.
The dish has several variants
Khao Pad has many different variants. The most popular ones among them are mentioned below.
Khao Pad Thale, Khao Pad Mu, Khao Pad Kai, Khao Pad Naem, Khao Pad Kaphrao, Khao Pad Rotfai, Khao Pad Sapparot, Khao Pad Che, etc.
How to cook?
The dish, as already mentioned, can be cooked in various ways. In this article, we'll have a look at the recipe for the veg version.
Ingredients: Jasmine rice, mushrooms, bell pepper, French beans, broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots, spring onions, chili pepper, black pepper, Thai red chilies, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, tomato, cooking oil, salt, sugar, lime juice, tomato sauce, and soy sauce.
First, rinse the rice properly and boil about 90% in enough water. Drain and let the rice come to room temperature. Prepare all the vegetables and also keep the other ingredients ready on the table.
Heat oil in a wok over a medium flame. Add the spring onions and sauté for a couple of minutes until they turn brown. Now, add the lemongrass and sauté for 30 seconds so that the flavors can get infused. Add the ginger and garlic as well, and keep sauteing for some more minutes.
Remove them using a spoon and stir-fry all the vegetables in the same oil. Also, add the mushrooms followed by a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir fry properly on high flame and add the bell pepper, chili pepper, & Thai red chilies.
Lower the flame and add the tomato sauce and soy sauce to them. Use a spoon to blend all the ingredients properly, and keep stirring for another minute. Add the rice to the wok and stir-fry thoroughly on high flame. Put off the flame when it's prepared, and add some lime juice to the dish before serving.
Some important things to know about the dish
Khao Pad is gluten-free, making it a good choice for fitness enthusiasts.
Make sure not to overcook the vegetables. They are best crunchy rather than being mushy.
It's typically a Jasmine rice dish. Hence, don't use Basmati or any other type of rice for the preparation.
