Thai Green Curry Fried Rice

About This Recipe

This fried rice takes the aromatic base of a green curry — green chili, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime — and applies it to a wok-fried rice technique instead of a coconut-milk curry. It's a common home-cooking move in Thailand: using leftover curry paste to flavor fried rice rather than making a separate curry from scratch, which stretches ingredients and avoids waste. The rice must be cold and a day old, ideally refrigerated overnight, so the grains have dried out slightly and stay separate in the hot wok instead of clumping into a sticky mass. High heat and constant movement are what give fried rice its characteristic slightly charred, smoky edge — known as wok hei — which is impossible to achieve over low heat or in a crowded pan. Thai basil stirred in at the very end, off the heat, keeps its peppery aroma intact rather than wilting into the hot rice, and a fried egg on top with a squeeze of lime is the classic finishing touch that ties the whole plate together.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 cupcooked jasmine rice, cold, day-old
• 3 tbspgreen curry paste
• 300 gchicken thigh, diced small
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 3 clovegarlic, minced
• 1 wholeonion, diced
• 1 wholered bell pepper, diced
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 cupThai basil leaves
• 4 wholeeggs, fried
• 1 wholelime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the wok

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until shimmering.

2. 2

   Cook the chicken

   Add garlic and green curry paste, stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant, then add chicken and cook until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add vegetables

   Add onion and bell pepper, stir-frying 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften.

4. 4

   Fry the rice

   Add cold rice, breaking up any clumps, and toss constantly over high heat until every grain is coated and slightly charred in spots, 5-6 minutes.

5. 5

   Season

   Add fish sauce and sugar, tossing to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Remove from heat, stir in Thai basil until just wilted, and top each plate with a fried egg and lime wedge.

Variations

• •

  Use shrimp or tofu instead of chicken for a pescatarian or vegetarian version.

• •

  Add a splash of coconut milk at the end for a richer, more curry-like fried rice.

• •

  Swap green curry paste for red curry paste for a different, slightly sweeter heat profile.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a hot wok or skillet with a splash of oil, not the microwave, to bring back some crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions