Khao Pad (Thai Fried Rice)

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked day-old jasmine rice, cold and broken up
• 300g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium white onion, diced into 1cm pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 4 green onions, sliced into 1cm pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 limes, halved
• 4 tablespoons nam pla prik (sliced Thai chilies in fish sauce, for serving)

Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients before cooking — mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the green onions, and break up any clumps in the cold cooked rice with your hands. Having everything ready is essential as fried rice comes together in under 10 minutes.
2. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over the highest heat your stove can produce for 2 minutes until smoking hot. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the surface.
3. Add the minced garlic and diced onion to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to turn golden at the edges.
4. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 30 seconds to develop some color, then toss and cook for another 30 seconds until the shrimp are just pink and curled. Do not overcook at this stage as they will continue cooking.
5. Push everything to one side of the wok. Crack the 3 eggs into the empty space and scramble them quickly with a spatula for about 30 seconds until they are just set but still slightly wet.
6. Add the cold jasmine rice directly on top of the eggs before they fully set. Press and toss everything together vigorously, breaking up any rice clumps, for 2 minutes until the rice is evenly coated and beginning to toast slightly.
7. Drizzle the fish sauce and oyster sauce evenly over the rice. Add the white sugar and white pepper. Toss and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, ensuring the seasonings are fully incorporated and the rice has a uniform light-brown color.
8. Add the green onions and tomato wedges, toss gently for 30 seconds just to warm them through without breaking the tomato down.
9. Remove from heat and fold in the fresh Thai basil leaves, allowing the residual heat to wilt them slightly.
10. Divide into four bowls or plates. Serve each portion with half a lime for squeezing, a small dish of nam pla prik on the side, and a sprinkle of additional white pepper if desired.