Dish of Fried Rice, Lao
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Fried Rice, Lao


Laos   -   kao koua luammit sai sin moo leh mak pet
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 main
***
55 min
Prep		 In China, fried rice is thought too strongly flavored to serve with meals, but Laotian food is more robust. Laotian Fried Rice can be a full dinner dish, including a lot more vegetables and meats than in China.

2-1/2
4
2
10
-------
4
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-------
2
2
1/2
-------
1/4
1/4
-------
ar
c
oz

cl
---
oz
c
c
c
c
---
T
T
t
---
c
c
---
Rice, cold (1)
Pork
Chili red (2)
Garlic
-- Vegies
Thai Eggplant (3)  
Baby Corn (4)
Mushrooms (5)
Long Beans (6)
Onion, red
-- Sauce
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Salt
----------
Cilantro
Oil / Lard (7)
-- Garnish
Mint or Basil
Do Ahead
  1. Make RICE well ahead so it is completely cold (see Note-1).
Prep   -   (40 min)
Measures for Vegies are after cutting to size.
  1. Slice PORK thin and cut into strips 1 to 1-1/2 inches long.
  2. Cap and core CHILIS. Chop fine and mix with Pork.
  3. Crush GARLIC and chop fine.
  4. Dice EGGPLANT about 1/2 inch.
  5. Cut BABY CORN in half lengthwise and into 1/2 inch lengths.
  6. Slice MUSHROOMS about 1/4 inch thick and into about 1/2 inch pieces.
  7. Cut BEANS into 1/2 inch lengths.
  8. Dice RED ONION about 1/2 inch on a side.
  9. Mix all Vegies Items
  10. Mix all Sauce Items
  11. Chop CILANTRO small.
  12. Prepare MINT or BASIL leaves for Garnish. Soak in cold water so they don't turn black so fast when applied.
Run   -   (15 min)
  1. Fluff the Rice as best you can, breaking up lumps.
  2. In a wok or spacious sauté pan, heat 1/4 Cup Oil (not less) over moderately high heat. Stir in Garlic and fry stirring until it is starting to turn golden.
  3. Stir in Pork mix and fry stirring until it has completely lost its raw color.
  4. Stir in Vegies mix. Fry stirring often until they are crisp tender, about 7 minutes. You can cover between stirrings.
  5. Stir in the Rice until well distributed and lumps are broken up, then stir in the Sauce mix. Fry stirring until everything is well heated, about 3 minutes over fairly high heat. Scrape up the rice so it doesn't stick to the pan.
  6. Stir in Cilantro and take off the heat. Serve hot garnished with Mint or Basil (see Note-8).
NOTES:

  1. Rice:

      Use long grain rice like thai Jasmine, which should be well washed, then cooked fairly dry so when the grains are cooked through they are still quite separate. You will need 1 cup raw to produce 2-1/2 cups (15 ounces) cooked. The rice must be fully cold, preferably refrigerated overnight, which changes the starch composition. Pack it loosely and make sure nothing sits on top of it.

  2. Chili, Fresh Red:

      Around here we all use Red Ripe Fresnos, but other medium hot red chilis, such as Holland Red will work. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  3. Thai Eggplant

      If I don't have them, I use small egg shaped Indian eggplants, which are more available locally. They cook softer, but that's not a problem. You could also use some other vegetable, like 4 ounces of Zucchini, or another vegetable that will be fairly soft.

  4. Baby Corn:

      Easily available canned, but fresh, canned or Frozen corn kernels can be substituted.

  5. Mushrooms:

      Oyster Mushrooms are preferred, particularly the small King Trumpet oyster mushrooms now so common here in California, but white mushrooms can be used. For details see our Fungus page.

  6. Long Beans

      These are preferred, but String Beans, Snap Peas or Snow Peas can be substituted. For details see our Long Beans page.

  7. Oil / Lard:

      The traditional frying media in Southeast Asia is Lard, and, if you use it, you will have a lot less trouble with rice sticking to the pan. Lard has a health profile better than butter, and is far and away better for you than the trans fats and denatured omega-6 oils the AHA has told you to use. Do render your own lard though, it's easy. For details see our Lard page.

  8. Service:

      In Laos, one way this is served is to lightly oil a deep bowl, individual serving size. Put some small tomato dice in the bottom, then lightly pack the finished fried rice over it up to the rim. A serving plate is then placed over the bowl. Invert to unmold the rice mound. Serving in a communal bowl is another other option.
  9. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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