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Ginger Pineapple Fried Rice

Ginger Pineapple Fried Rice

Have some plain leftover rice? This is a great rice side dish for shrimp, pork, or chicken that calls for starting with chilled, cooked rice. I grilled some shrimp with some fresh pineapple the other day and served it with this ginger pineapple fried rice. Delicious! And very easy to make. You can probably substitute canned pineapple if fresh isn't available.

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Ginger Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe

Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked Basmati rice, or other long grain white rice
  • 3 Tbsp grapeseed, canola, peanut oil, or other high smoke-point oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh peeled ginger
  • 5 scallions (white and pale green parts separated from greens), finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup diced (1/4 inch) cored peeled fresh pineapple (labeled "extra sweet")
  • 1 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil

ginger-pineapple-fried-1.jpg ginger-pineapple-fried-2.jpg

Method

1 Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a large bowl until water runs clear. Drain in a colander. Place rice in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, then add water (amount according to the instructions on the package) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, again according to the package instructions, usually 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and let cool to almost room temperature. Chill, covered with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours.

2 Heat a large (12-inch or more) heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil just begins to smoke, stir-fry ginger, white and pale green parts of scallions, and salt until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil to the pan. Crumble rice into the pan and stir-fry until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, then add scallion greens, pineapple, and sesame oil, tossing to combine. Season with salt.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

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17 Comments

I love pineapple fried rice! Pork also works very well. What's the best way to store fresh ginger? I like using it but it seems like such a waste when I just use a couple of slivers and I have a whole knob left and it's not cheap!

Posted by: mimsie on June 7, 2007 1:35 AM

Looks yummy. I made something like this out of a Moosewood cookbook once. There were cashews in that version (this was before our house went peanut and nut-free).

Posted by: paula on June 7, 2007 9:31 AM

To Mimsie: Ginger freezes very well. I buy a big thing of it then and put it in a zip lock bag and stick it in the freezer. That way I always have it on hand.

Posted by: Sarah on June 7, 2007 10:06 AM

The ginger people make a great great great minced ginger that is sold in a jar and keeps forever; I am sure purists might pooh-pooh it, but I love it, it tastes fresh and it's so handy!

Posted by: lisa on June 7, 2007 10:29 AM

I think this would be delicious using brown rice, too! yum!

Posted by: Janet on June 7, 2007 10:39 AM

This is a family favorite to use leftover rice, I add a small amount of cayenne pepper to give it a kick. Mimsie asked about storing fresh ginger,I saw this on a cooking show on FoodTV -store the ginger in the freezer in a ziplock bag. When I need some, I grate it frozen, the skin just peels off and stays behind on the grater. Tastes just like fresh.

Posted by: Joy on June 7, 2007 11:48 AM

I like to use fresh ginger as well, but it always dries out. My mom suggested slicing it up thinly, and putting it in a plastic baggie in the freezer, then when you need some you just thaw a couple slices, and you're set to go!

Posted by: p32chick on June 7, 2007 12:03 PM

Now, I've never tried this myself, but I've been told that you can peel the whole hand of ginger and store it in a jar of sherry and it'll keep practically forever. No idea how the sherry would effect the taste of the ginger stored this way.

You can also buy whole dried ginger in many "ethnic" markets and spice stores and slice and re-hydrate it for uses. Which is also something I've never tried. My honey is kind of afraid of "Asian" food, so I have to be sneaky with it. Ginger is usually a dead giveaway.

Posted by: moonablaze on June 7, 2007 12:28 PM

We make a similar dish, using a canned tropical fruit mix when fresh pineapple isn't available. After the rice has been added to the pan/wok, we also add:

- a couple of tablespoons of Thai fish sauce and/or soy sauce
- a half cup of frozen peas and carrots

Serve on a platter as a bed to some thinly sliced teriyaki tri-tip with some grilled baby bok choy on the side, and you've got a party feast that's delicious AND easy!

Posted by: matt on June 7, 2007 2:22 PM

Adding some cubed spam to this would make it wonderfully hawaiian!

Posted by: Steve E. on June 7, 2007 2:46 PM

Mmmmmh... lovely! I tried this today with canned pineapple and it works just fine. Unfortunately I managed to burn the chicken that the rice was to go with. I NEVER burn anything, but I guess I was just too excited about the tori amos concert I'm going to tonight :)

However: Elise, I absolutely love most of your recipes! Thank you.


Cheers,
Mccutcheon

Posted by: mcCutcheon on June 8, 2007 9:47 AM

I like using rice bran oil for high heat cooking. It makes sense while making fried rice. I do like the pineapple addition.

Posted by: KK on June 8, 2007 6:32 PM

That looks simply delicious. Have you tried adding some light soya sauce to the rice when cooking it? It will enhance the flavour.

Posted by: Pamela on June 9, 2007 8:10 AM

I had a friend who wouldn't stop talking about how great Pineapple Fried Rice is. Finally I got a form of a recipe from her and tried it out with some additions and changes. Divine!

You can find my recipe here:

http://sseichinger.blogspot.com/2007/04/fruity-fried-rice.html

Posted by: Scott on June 9, 2007 5:47 PM

Absolutely wonderful... Everyone in my house devoured it!!!

Posted by: Claudia on June 15, 2007 8:27 AM

This recipe sounds great! I recently bought some vodka and placed some peeled ginger in it then refrigerated it. Got tired of limp ginger from the freezer. Haven't tried it yet, but will for this recipe.

Posted by: Hudson Valley Kathleen on August 10, 2007 4:47 PM

Tried this... superb!
Thanks, Elise!

Posted by: Saumya on April 7, 2009 6:02 PM

I apologize for the inconvenience, comments are closed. ~Elise

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