Thai fried rice
Quick, wok-fried jasmine rice with juicy prawns, punchy fish sauce and lime—takeaway flavour in under 30 minutes.
This is a faithful, no-fuss Thai fried rice—quick enough for a weeknight but flavourful enough to make you forget the takeaway. It relies on three things: hot wok, cold rice and a sharp, salty sauce.
Use day-old jasmine rice and a very hot pan for the best texture. Prawns keep it light, but you can easily swap the protein to chicken or tofu if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 600 g jasmine rice, cooked and chilled — preferably day-old; if freshly cooked, spread on a tray to cool before using
- 300 g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 30 ml vegetable oil — divided (about 2 tbsp)
- 5 ml sesame oil — for finishing
- 2 eggs — large
- 1 brown onion — finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 5 g soft light brown sugar — about 1 tsp
- Thai bird's eye chillies — sliced, to taste (optional)
- 3 spring onions — sliced on the diagonal
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 1 lime — use ½ juice in the sauce and cut the rest into wedges to serve
- 0 ml white pepper
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
- metal or wooden spatula
Instructions
Mix the sauce: in a small bowl combine fish sauce, light soy sauce, soft light brown sugar, white pepper and the juice of half the lime. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set to one side.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high hob. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil and when it is very hot and just smoking, add the raw king prawns in a single layer. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through, then transfer the prawns to a plate.
Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok and turn the heat to medium–high. Add the brown onion and garlic and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
Push the onion and garlic to one side of the wok, crack in the eggs and give them 30–45 seconds to set. Scramble quickly with a spatula until just cooked but still moist, then break into small curds and mix with the onion.
Turn the heat back up to high. Add the chilled jasmine rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Spread the rice over the base of the wok for 15–20 seconds, then toss and stir-fry continuously for about 3–4 minutes until the rice is hot and starting to colour.
Pour the prepared sauce over the rice and quickly toss to distribute. Return the cooked prawns to the wok and stir through for 1–2 minutes until everything is evenly coated and piping hot.
Stir in the spring onions and sliced chillies (if using) for 30 seconds, then remove the wok from the heat. Drizzle over the sesame oil, fold through the fresh coriander and give everything a final toss.
Taste and adjust: add a few drops more fish sauce or a squeeze of the remaining lime if you prefer more salt or acidity. Serve straight away with lime wedges.
Tips
- Always use chilled, day-old rice if possible. If you must use fresh rice, spread it thin on a tray and chill for at least 30 minutes to remove steam and moisture.
- Keep the wok very hot and work quickly—high heat gives the rice that lightly charred, toasty flavour.
- Don’t overcook the prawns; take them out early and return them at the end so they stay tender.
- If you like a smokier flavour, let the rice sit untouched on the hot base for 15–20 seconds before tossing to develop colour.
- Make ahead: cooked fried rice keeps for 24 hours in the fridge. Reheat in a hot wok with a splash of oil and a squeeze of lime.
Substitutions
raw king prawns, peeled and deveined → diced chicken thigh, 350 g, stir-fry until just cooked
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (15 ml) for a gluten-free option
Stays closefish sauce → light soy sauce plus a pinch of sea salt, same total seasoning strength
Noticeably differentjasmine rice, cooked and chilled → long-grain rice, cooked and chilled, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 375
- Calories
- 25 g
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?
Yes: replace prawns with firm tofu (press and cube) and use tamari instead of fish sauce. For vegan richness, add a splash of mushroom soy or a little miso dissolved in water.
Why should I use day-old rice?
Day-old rice is drier and the grains separate, so it fries rather than steams. Fresh hot rice contains too much moisture and will clump.
How do I get that slightly smoky 'wok hei' flavour at home?
Use a very hot wok, cook in small batches, and let the rice sit undisturbed on the base for short bursts to get light charring. A splash of fish sauce at the end also helps.
Can I use frozen prawns?
Yes—defrost fully, pat dry with kitchen paper and remove excess water before frying to avoid steaming.
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