A perennial takeaway favourite in our household, Thai-style Chicken Fried Rice (Khao Phad Gai) is one of the few dishes that both my partner and I enjoy eating, albeit with a few differences in our taste preferences. Naturally I like mine hot and spicy, whereas my partner’s is a somewhat more muted affair without any chilli or garlic. To my mind, the lack either of these elements seems like an affront to Thai cooking, but each to their own, I guess.
Along with an obligatory side order of Tom Yum Goong, Khao Phad Gai has a special place in my recent food history. It may be a simple meal, but this takeaway (along with a lot of red wine) was an absolute Godsend during a particularly stressful house-move – something I will forever be grateful for. Ordered almost every other night, we would sit, wine in hand, in amongst our half-packed boxes watching episodes of “Orange is the New Black”, tucking into our Khao Phad. None of it may have been very classy, but for a short while at least, this became our new normal.
Almost a year later, we don’t order Khao Phad as often as we did back then, but we still enjoy eating it now and again. After a rather disappointing order, though, I decided to try my hand at making it myself. Personally I prefer my own efforts, but my partner thinks otherwise. Apparently my version is “too flavoursome” for his delicate tastes – in my book that can never be a bad thing! As I said before, each to their own.
As with most Asian food, the key to success is preparation…and a hot wok. Typically, 90% of any Asian stir-fry is prep-work, as the actual cooking usually takes just a few minutes – so make sure you have all you ingredients chopped and ready to go. Stir-frying can be fast and furious, and you don’t want to be faffing around with a carrot while your onions burn!
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Khao Phad Gai (Thai Chicken Fried Rice): Serves 2
- 1 skinless chicken breast
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. cornflour
- 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 cups day old cooked jasmine rice
- 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 1/2 onion, finely sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/2 cup green beans, chopped
- 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 ripe tomato, quartered
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 lemon or lime
STIR-FRY SAUCE:
- 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. soya sauce
- 1/2 tsp. fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- A dash of white pepper
Method:
- Thinly slice the chicken across the grain and on the diagonal
- Place the cornflour in a bowl, add the fish sauce and water. Mix to combine
- Add the sliced chicken and coat with cornflour mixture. Leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes
- Place all the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix until combined
- Heat a little oil in a wok on a high heat
- Add beaten egg and fry until set, remove and set to one side
- Clean out the wok with some kitchen paper
- Again add a little more oil and heat till just smoking
- Drain the chicken from the marinate and then add to the wok
- Stir-fry until just cooked (about 3 to 4 minutes), remove and set to one side
- Clean out the wok with some kitchen paper
- Add a final splash of oil and add the onions and carrots, stir-fry over a high heat until they begin to soften
- Add the garlic, cauliflower and chopped green beans. Cook for another couple of minutes
- Return the chicken to the wok and fry for another minute
- Pour in the sauce and continue frying until all the vegetables are tender
- Add the rice and mix to combine with the sauce
- Return the cooked egg to the wok and mix in amongst the rice
- Continue to stir-fry vigorously until the rice is heated through completely and no longer looks “wet”
- Add the tomato wedges and spring onions, fold to combine and stir-fry for one final minute
- Eat immediately with a wedge of lemon or lime on the side
Serve with: Some chopped hot chillis, steeped in some rice vinegar or fish sauce
the muddled pantry 