Skip the takeout thai food and make this Thai Curry Fried Rice recipe - an easy meal you can make at home in just 15 minutes (prep included!)! With subtle authentic Thai flavors from fish sauce, Thai curry paste, cashew nuts, lime and cilantro and the option to kick up the spice a notch with some Sriracha sauce.
Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Beat the eggs and pour into the pan. Tilt the pan to spread the egg evenly. Cook until set on the top, then fold, remove from pan, and set aside for now.
1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 eggs
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet, still over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced garlic and chopped ginger, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Take care that the garlic doesn't burn - if it starts to brown, lower the heat.
Add the Massaman curry and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry for 1 minute.
1 teaspoon Massaman curry paste*
Add the broccoli and fry for 3 minutes, stirring often.
1 head broccoli
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the mushrooms. Fry for 2 minutes. Stir often.
3 tablespoon olive oil, 4 mushrooms
Push the broccoli and mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the rice to the other side. Fry for 2 minutes, mixing the rice often, then mix it in with the broccoli and mushrooms.
1.5 cups cooked white long-grain rice
Season with fish sauce and lime juice.
2 teaspoon fish sauce, ½ lime
Cut the omelette you made in the beginning into bite-size strips, then add those together with the chopped cashew nuts. Mix well.
½ cup cashew nuts
Turn off the heat and mix in the cilantro.
1 cup fresh cilantro
Serve with Sriracha sauce, lime wedges and fish sauce on the side.
Sriracha sauce, lime wedges, fish sauce
Video
Notes
This recipe makes 2 large servings, and might feed 3.
Ingredient notes & substitutions
Rice - leftover well chilled rice works best.
For 1.5 cup cooked rice you will need about a ½ cup dry rice
Massaman curry paste can be swapped for another Thai curry paste - green curry paste, red curry paste and yellow curry paste all work and each will give a slightly different flavor profile
Eggs can be switched for fried tofu cut in strips. You can then skip step #1 in the recipe card below, and add the fried tofu when you would have added the omelett strips.
Fish sauce can be substituted for soy sauce - especially dark mushroom soy sauce. Soy sauce is generally a bit less salty than fish sauce, so taste test and add more if needed.
Broccoli can be swapped for another crunchy vegetable like carrots or bell pepper. If using bell peppers, add them together with the mushrooms as they cook quickly.
Cashew nuts can be swapped for roasted, unsalted peanuts
Olive oil can be swapped for another type of vegetable oil
Sriracha sauce is optional
Tips & tricks
Prep everything before you start cooking as this dish comes together quickly once you start
Use cold cooked rice as warm rice will stick together and might end up mushy. Either use leftover rice or cook rice and let it cool down. Spread it out on a plate in the fridge to cool it quicker.
Make it vegetarian by switching fish sauce for soy sauce
Make it vegan by switching fish sauce for soy sauce and skipping the egg, or switching it for fried tofu
Make it vegan/vegetarian and gluten free by switching fish sauce for Tamari, and skipping the egg if you want it vegan
If you don't have a non-stick skillet you can use a regular skillet or frying pan, or a large wok, but you might need to add more oil. Just add some extra when the pan starts to go dry.
Do not overcook the vegetables - the broccoli should still be crunchy, and the mushroom a bit chewy
Which rice is best for fried rice?
Long grain rice is best for fried rice, as it's the thickest non-sticky type of rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are also good. You can use either brown or white rice.Do not use sticky rice or risotto rice (like Arborio or Carnaroli rice).
What do I do with leftover fried rice?
Fried rice is just as delicious the next day!Store leftoverfried rice in the fridge in an air tight container, for up to 4 days.Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. Use 1 minute increments in the microwave or fry it for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.Fried rice does not freeze well.