Rice and coconut milk are two staples often found in Thai cuisine, and one popular dish is shrimp fried coconut rice. This meal is a little lighter and has a more delicate consistency than often seen in traditional fried rice dishes. One interesting variant is to include fresh pineapple chunks in the fried rice, which adds a nice bit of sweetness to the coconut milk and jasmine rice. This meal is an easy dinner to prepare and perfect for those nights when time is of the essence.
This is a great one-dish recipe for two, but the ingredients can be doubled to feed four, or even served as a side dish at a dinner party. For those who do not eat seafood, substitute cooked chopped chicken breast for the shrimp.
The flavors meld together very well in this meal, really enhancing the jasmine essense. Shrimp Fried Coconut rice is a very versatile dish and is quite wine friendly as well. Typically, a sweeter white wine would be the best choice to pair with this meal. Enjoy with a German Riesling (Spätlese) or Semillion, either of which compliment the sweetness from the pineapple perfectly. The word Spätlese is basically the German word for "late harvest", so this type of wine will be a bit more sweet than a traditional dry Riesling.
Shrimp Fried Coconut Rice with Pineapple
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Jasmine Thai Rice
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 12 large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 4 oz fresh pineapple (about 5 rings of canned), chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
Directions:
- Wash the jasmine rice thoroughly with warm water, until the water runs clear
- Add two cups of jasmine rice, 1 cup water, and 2 cups coconut milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 15 minutes, or until rice is sticky and soft.
- Set aside and let the rice cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients
- Using a wok, heat the tablespoon of oil and then add the minced garlic and white onion. Cook on medium heat until the onion has a shiny appearance, which is about 1-2 minutes
- Add the cooked shrimp, sugar, fish sauce, and cooked Jasmine rice, and stir everything well
- After about 30 seconds, add the pineapple chunks and chopped green onion. Stir often for about 2-3 minutes, until rice is tender and shrimp is thoroughly heated, but not overcooked
- Remove from heat and divide between two large plates or bowls
- Serve while hot
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