Pineapple Fried Rice

Delicious fried rice using a pineapple I spied at Costco this week and I tried something new – I roasted my own cashews from raw ones. Easy and delicious!

Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch baked brown rice (see below)
  • 3 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tbsp roasted garlic (jarred)
  • 1 Tbsp grated ginger (jarred is fine)
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
  • 14-ounce package bell pepper strips
  • 1 cup frozen green beans, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp mild curry powder
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews

Directions:

For the rice -

Heat the oven to 375°. Bring 2½ cups water to a boil, add it and  1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1½ cups long grain brown rice to an 8×8″ glass baking pan, cover with foil tightly and bake for 1 hour.

Makes about 4 cups baked.

Once finished cooking, let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a large heat safe mixing bowl and chill for at least a couple of hours.

For the Fried Rice -
Break up the chilled rice in its bowl and work in 1 Tablespoon of the oil, set aside.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large non-stick skillet. Add the onion and cook for a minute, add in the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes, cook for another minute. Add the egg, scramble until done. Scoop out into a bowl and set aside.
Add the last Tablespoon of oil to the skillet and turn up to high heat, add in the peppers and green beans, cook until thawed, stirring often. Add in the pineapple and continue cooking until the pineapple is turning golden and the vegetables are crispy.
Turn back down to medium-high , add the egg mixture back in and the cold rice and start stirring. Stir in the cashews.
Drizzle over the soy sauce and curry over the rice and keep stirring until the rice is hot/sizzling.

Serves 4.

Want to roast cashews?

Preheat your oven to 350° and spread how many raw cashews you need on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes and shaking the pan to distribute. Keep a close eye on the cashews, they roast very fast, take out when turning golden brown and smelling very intense. Let cool before storing.

~Sarah

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Pineapple Fried Rice

For a couple years I worked for a Thai importer and got spoiled by all the food products that would come through. Working for them encouraged me to try new meals out often. Only thing was…some of them were not so *cough* healthy or good for you ;-) Why does good tasting food have to be so fattening? There is the million dollar question!

I love Pineapple Fried Rice – that combination of savory/sweet/salty is great tasting. Often though it is an oil slick – which tastes great but I know I don’t need. So I have been working on a version that is better for us. I added in chicken for the guys, but this is fine to do vegetarian, and honestly? I like it better without meat but that is just me!

You can make it with fresh pineapple and a large fresh tomato seeded and chopped. I used canned items to focus on what most of us would have in our cupboards in winter. Without meat added in, it is a frugal dish.

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Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup Jasmine rice

1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks, well drained

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, well drained

1 large white onion, peeled and chopped

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cubed small

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce

2 tsp ginger powder

2 tsp mild curry powder

2 tsp diced dried garlic or 8 small cloves fresh, minced

1 Tbsp dried or fresh chopped chives

Directions:

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add in the rice, stir well, cover tightly and lower heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff up. Place in a large heat proof bowl and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring often to release heat. Place in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

In a large nonstick pan or wok, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add in the chicken and onion, stirring often till browned and cooked through.

Add in the dry seasonings and toss to coat. Add in the pineapple and tomatoes, then the rice. Stir constantly to combine, then sprinkle slowly with the soy sauce. Keep stir frying till hot and a crust starts forming on the bottom of the pan.

Add more soy sauce as desired.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on appetite. It served 3 perfectly.

~Sarah

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