Easy Khao Pad Recipe (Thai fried rice)

An epicurean adventure to: Thailand

This tasty recipe for Khao Pad, or Thai fried rice, is flavourful, healthy and incredibly easy to make. It's perfect for using up leftover rice, providing a fresh, nutritious and satisfying option for a quick weekday meal.

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What is Khao Pad?

Khao Pad is a traditional, deeply rooted and very popular street food from the beautiful, enchanting Thailand. For centuries, it has delighted generations of food enthusiasts and these days its popularity has spread far and wide across the globe.

Whether enjoyed as a street food staple or served in a Thai restaurant, Khao Pad showcases the delicious and aromatic essence of Thai cuisine.

Simply put, Khao Pad is a delicious stir-fried medley of cooked jasmine rice, vegetables, eggs and customisable seasonings, allowing you to effortlessly tailor it to your own flavour preferences. Plus, it's super easy to make and can be cooked in just 15 minutes.

For more dinner ideas that take 15 minutes or less to make, try this Lemon garlic pasta or these easy pea fritters.

Thailand - Fast facts

Location	Thailand is located in Southeast Asia and is bordered by Myanmar (Burma) to the west, Laos to the north and east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Malaysia to the south.
Language	The official language of Thailand is Thai. It is a tonal language and is written using the Thai script.
Population	Circa 69 million people.
Trivia	Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles" because of the friendly and welcoming nature of its people.

Key ingredients and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and detailed ingredients list.

Thai jasmine rice

Traditionally, the best rice to use for this dish is leftover white rice from the day before. However, you can cook rice especially, just ensure it's well chilled and rested before using it.

Medium-grain, fragrant Jasmine rice is the go-to for a Thai fried rice recipe, providing the ideal consistency and flavour.

Short-grain rice types tend to get too sticky and long-grain rice, like Basmati, might end up too dry. Jasmine rice strikes that perfect balance in texture.

However, it doesn't mean you can't experiment with other types of rice if you prefer.

Why use cold, day-old rice?

Using cold rice helps prevent your fried rice from turning mushy and ensures a better texture in the dish. It's also easier to break up in the pan.

Warm, freshly cooked rice tends to be sticky and clumpy.

Flavourings

We add some chopped garlic, grated ginger, white pepper and coriander leaves.

If you're short on time, go ahead and use garlic and ginger pastes. They work fine, but using fresh ingredients does add a little something extra and it is more authentic.

The white pepper can be replaced with black pepper.

Soy and oyster sauce

There isn't a single 'correct way' to combine sauces for fried rice. Traditionally, the trinity usually involves a combination of light soy sauce, fish sauce and/or oyster sauce. The proportions can vary and depend on the chef.

In this recipe, we lean towards oyster sauce but feel free to use fish sauce instead, or even go for all three. It's all about personal preference.

Eggs

Jasmine rice and fried egg are both essential in fried rice.

Cook the eggs until they're just set before adding the star of the dish - the rice. It's crucial not to let the eggs cook too dry for the best result.

Some chefs add the rice first, then create a hollow in the pan to add the eggs. Choose the method that's easiest for you.

Spring onions

Also known as 'green onion' in the US. Add as much or as little as you like.

We typically use about 50 grams which is equivalent to roughly 3-4 medium spring onions. It brightens up the dish and adds a lovely, fresh crunch.

Limes

Served in wedges as a side to the fried rice. A squeeze of lime juice truly elevates the dish, cutting through the saltiness of the sauces and the slight stickiness of the rice.

Sliced red chillies (optional)

Adjust to taste or leave it out entirely. We typically use one red chilli because we prefer milder heat, but this depends on the size and type of chilli being used.

Thai chillies (the long, thin ones) are generally hotter than the 'generic' shorter and plumper red chillies often sold in supermarkets.

How to make Khao pad: Step-by-step

1. Measure out your sauces and have all your chopped ingredients ready. This is a fast-cooking dish, so it's helpful to have everything at the ready.

2. In a large frying pan or large wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

3. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and fry until you see a few specks of garlic browning.

4. Break the eggs into the pan and let them sit for a few seconds until they just start to set a little.

5. Using your spatula, break the eggs up and move them around the pan quickly to prevent sticking and too rapid browning.

6. Cook the eggs until they are soft-set and avoid over-scrambling them. This should not take much longer than 30 seconds from when you broke the eggs into the pan.

7. Add the soy and oyster sauce, pepper and sugar.

8. Tip all the cold, cooked rice into the pan as well.

9. Still over medium-high heat and working quickly, move the rice around the pan, breaking it up and combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Stir until the rice is hot throughout.

10. Remove the pan from the heat and add the spring onions, chopped coriander and optional chopped chilli.

11. Stir your fresh additions through the rice and serve immediately with a wedge of lime on the side.

Storage

The Khao pad will keep well in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Rice should be consumed far quicker than other dishes and it's important to transfer any leftovers to the fridge quickly. Keep in an airtight container. Reheat by microwaving or re-frying in a pan.

The dish can also be frozen for up to three months. To defrost, remove from the freezer a few hours beforehand. Reheat in the microwave or re-fry in a pan.

Serving suggestions

• Serve with lime wedges.

• Fresh cucumber - Cucumber slices or long ribbons peeled with a vegetable peeler.

• Fresh tomatoes.

• Bean sprouts.

• Make it meaty by adding chicken, crab meat, beef, fresh shrimp, crab or salmon.

• Crispy tofu.

• Add any other veg to the mix like carrot, bell pepper, Chinese broccoli, tenderstem broccoli etc.

• Add more slices of chilli on top just before serving.

• Sprinkle over sesame seeds.

• Garnish the dish with fresh coriander, basil or Thai basil leaves for a vibrant and aromatic finish.

• Offer condiments like prik nam pla (fish sauce mixed with Thai chilli), soy sauce, fish sauce or other chilli sauce on the table for guests to adjust the flavours according to their taste preferences.

• Serve pickled veggies like cucumbers, radishes or carrots as a tangy and crunchy accompaniment to balance the flavours of the dish.