What is Khao Pad?
Khao means rice, pad means stir-fried. In English you also see it spelled Kao Pad or Khao Phad. In Thailand, street stalls sell Khao Pad with chicken, pork or shrimp. The cooks season lightly, and you adjust the seasoning at the table. It comes with cucumber slices, a lime wedge to squeeze over the top and a small dish of prik nam pla, fish sauce with chopped chili.
The Right Ingredients
- Rice: Thai jasmine rice from the day before. In the fridge, the surface of the grains dries out. They stick less and take up the seasoning as they fry. For 350 g cooked rice you need about 130 g raw. The method is in How to cook jasmine rice.
- Soy sauce: Thai cooks use light soy sauce or a seasoning sauce like Golden Mountain. Japanese soy sauce also works.
- Fish sauce: It gives the Thai flavor. 1 tsp is enough for 2 portions. Add more at the table through the prik nam pla.
- Meat: The chicken is optional. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast.
Fried Rice Without Day-Old Rice
If you have no rice from the day before, cook it with a little less water, spread it on a baking sheet and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. Warm, freshly cooked rice turns mushy in the pan. Cool cooked rice quickly and keep it in the fridge for 1 to 2 days at most. Spores of Bacillus cereus survive cooking and produce toxins at room temperature.
How to Get Khao Pad Right
Prepare everything first
Once you start, the rice is on the table in 10 minutes. So cut all the ingredients beforehand, mix the soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar in a small dish and break up the cold rice with your hands.
High heat
Sweat the onion and garlic over medium heat. From the chicken on, turn the heat to the highest setting. A wok gives you room to push things aside along the edges, but a large cast-iron or nonstick pan works too. Prepare a new wok as described in How to season a wok. Cook more than 2 portions in two batches, otherwise the pan cools down and the rice steams.
Working in the egg
Let the eggs set in the middle for 10 seconds before you scramble them. Then add the rice and spread the egg pieces as you fry. Some of the egg coats the grains.
Common Mistakes
- Too much sauce: The rice turns wet and dark. Season sparingly and add more at the table.
- Stirring constantly: Leave the rice alone for 20 to 30 seconds now and then so it picks up toasty flavor on the bottom of the pan.
- Not tasting: Taste before you serve. If it needs salt, add a splash of fish sauce.
Variations
For Khao Pad Kung, fry 200 g raw shrimp instead of chicken and take them out again after 2 minutes. Street stalls often add tomato wedges and scallions to the wok. With pineapple and cashews, it becomes Khao Pad Sapparod. The Vietnamese cousin with shrimp and bell pepper is called Cơm Chiên Tôm.
What to Serve with It
For prik nam pla, stir 3 tbsp fish sauce together with 2 chopped Thai chilies, 1 chopped garlic clove and a squeeze of lime juice. A fried egg with a crispy edge on top turns the rice into a full meal, see Kai Dao. A soup like Tom Yam Gai goes well as a second dish.
