Thai Chicken & Pineapple Purple Fried Rice

Thai Chicken & Pineapple Purple Fried rice by KeelyMarie.com

 

What in the world…purple rice?  PINEAPPLE purple fried rice. Are my recipes getting too weird for you guys? I hope not, because this is seriously one of my favorite dishes I’ve ever cooked. SO ADDICTING. Thai fried rice is really different from traditional soy sauce seasoned fried rice and it’s a refreshing switch up. You don’t need to use purple rice, but if you can find it in your store then definitely DO.

I loaded this dish with veggies, chicken, and good stuff. Think carrots, scallions, edamame, bean sprouts, peanuts, basil, jalapeño, and pineapple. Then, to top it off, you use coconut milk and fish sauce for even more flavor. Oh…and purple rice. Make this dish now! I beg you.

How was your weekend? I spent mine with family (Mom and sister are in town) out and about around South Beach drinking mojitos and eating lots of great food. Hope you had a fabulous weekend as well.

 

Thai Chicken & Pineapple Purple Fried Rice

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: 5-6

Ingredients

  1. 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2. 1/2 cup slice scallions, greens included
  3. 2 carrots (or a cup of baby carrots), diced small
  4. 2 cups bean sprouts
  5. 3/4 cup frozen edamame beans
  6. 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, diced small
  7. 1 1/2 cups pineapple, diced small
  8. 1 tablespoon, minced garlic
  9. 3-4 cups cooked rice (I used Thai Purple Sticky Rice), cooked ahead of time and chill if time allows
  10. 2 eggs
  11. 1/2 cup coconut milk, add more to taste
  12. 2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce), add more to taste
  13. salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
  14. 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
  15. 1/2 cup fresh basil, thai if you can find it
  16. 1 or more small fresh hot green chiles, I used 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced tiny
  17. lime wedges

Instructions

Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add the scallions, carrot, edamame, and bean sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the mixture starts to burn. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan, followed by the chicken pieces. Season with a few pinches of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, over high heat until the chicken is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Combine the chicken vegetables and remove from the heat.

In a separate (Large pan) put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet on high heat, followed by the garlic. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice, a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps with your fingers and stirring it into the oil. When all the rice is added, make a well in its center and break the eggs into it; scramble it a bit, then incorporate it into the rice.

Return the chicken and vegetables to the rice pan and stir to integrate. Add the coconut milk and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has boiled off, just a minute or so. Add the fish sauce, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanuts, basil, and chiles/jalapeno. Serve with the lime wedges.

Notes

adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman using the recipe "Spicy Fried Rice with Bean Sprouts, Chicken, and Peanuts" page 322

https://keelymarie.com/2013/06/09/thai-chicken-pineapple-purple-fried-rice/

Head over to the Food Matters Project blog to see what recipes the other members cooked up, inspired by Mark Bittman’s Spicy Fried Rice recipe from the Food Matters Cookbook. It was my week hosting so I picked this recipe, so happy it was a winner! Can’t wait to make it again. (The leftover went fast)

Thai Chicken & Pineapple Purple Fried Rice by KeelyMarie at http://www.keelymarie.com

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Seared Bean Sprouts with Beef & Sesame Orange Sauce

Picture from catesworldkitchen.com

{Picture from cate’s world kitchen}

 
Sprouts. 
Fillers. 
Tasteless. 
Waste of space. 

Well Mark Bittman, you’ve done it again.

Maybe this is the theme of this Food Matters Project, but I was scared of the amount of sprouts in this recipe. SPROUTS? They are a filler food to me. I hate when Benihana or better yet, KOBE’s, puts them in their fried rice. Total blemish in a perfect food.

But these sprouts won me over. Just like the brussels sprouts won so many people over last week. Pretty good @Bittman, pretty good. This recipe is for keeps. Thanks for a great pick this week Dominica!

I was excited to try this recipe because of the asian style sauce and the quick cook time (less than 20 min!).  Minus the sprouts- I know, I know I can stop with the sprouts. But that’s the idea of this Food Matters Project right? Expand my horizons and eat a little better. I did make a side of chicken fried rice though just in case. 😉

I stuck to the recipe 100%, but hesitated while searing the beef on high. It was sliced so thin and the pan is supposed to be on high with oil, I really thought I would ruin it. My bad, I turned the heat down and afterwards wish I had seared it on high. Cooking such thin cut meat on high for just 2 minutes will help it stay tender, mine ended up a bit more tough.

This recipe’s sauce was pretty watery since it’s made with fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, and honey.

::: I’d like to make it again, but begin by sautéing the sauce in a saucepan on the side with a bit of corn starch. This will thicken it up a bit before pouring it over the sprouts and beef.  I will also add crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 more tablespoon each of  honey and soy sauce. :::

Seared Bean Sprouts with Beef and Sesame Orange Sauce

Full Recipe by Mark Bittman found HERE at WINE FOOD LOVE

Ingredients:

  • thinly sliced beef
  • 2 oranges, squeezed and zested
  • soy sauce
  • honey
  • lots of sprouts
  • sesame seeds
  • scallions

Tips:

  • Good pick for a quick carb free meal (less than 20 minutes)
  • Don’t be afraid to sear the meat on high, just keep it to 2 minutes
  • Potentially try cooking the sauce on the side and thickening it with a bit or corn starch before pouring it over
  • For a bold flavor add 1 more tablespoon each of soy sauce and honey
  • For spice add a pinch of crushed red pepper
 ::: Head here to see how the other members of the Food Matter’s Project fared. I can’t wait to see if anyone got creative! :::

Chicken Fried Rice       side serves 4

  • 1 chicken breast, chopped very small
  • 1 cup of white or brown rice, cooked and set aside (makes 3 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 a large sweet onion diced
  • 3 scallions, sliced up to some of the green
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup frozen edamame
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat olive oil on medium high heat. Cook chicken for 3 or 4 minutes until there is no pink you can see. Add onions, scallion, and carrots and cook for 4 minutes. Add peas and edamame cook for 4 more minutes. Add rice, garlic powder, ginger, soy sauce, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 4 more minutes.

Push rice to the side and crack the eggs into the pan. Let cook for 30 seconds (until fluffy) then mix into the rice. Add sesame seeds.  Add more seasonings to your preference.

::: keelymarie :::