Pineapple Fried Rice – Scrumptious and easy, an especially fast-fix if you have leftover rice. With succulent fresh pineapple and colorful veggies, how can it possibly fail to delight all your senses?
Rice-lover that I am, I often do have leftover rice. What to do with it? Oh, there are so many delightful options to pick from… and from so many different cuisines! Somehow, though, I keep coming back to this particular dish rather frequently.
Maybe it’s because of the pineapple that I love so dearly – it sure adds the extra bit of “Oomph” that makes me crave it often.
Fresh pineapple – vitamins, minerals, fiber, Bromelain
Fresh pineapple, so sweet and juicy, chock-full of vitamins and minerals… Oh… what’s not to love? Relatively low in sugar, high in fiber, fresh pineapple is also rich in Bromelain. Bromelain, a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes, has a multitude of positive effects on your body. Among the many benefits attributed to Bromelain: supports your immune system and cardiovascular health, helps you digest and absorb your food more easily, reduces inflammation and pain… There are so many reasons to enjoy fresh pineapple… with gusto!
However, I do want to point out that note that Bromelain, like all enzymes, is denatured upon heating. So, since the pineapple in this recipe is cooked, it has no active Bromelain. Likewise, canned pineapple does not have active Bromelain either. What about the other nutrients in pineapple? Since the cooking time is quite brief, all the other nutrients are fairly well-preserved.
So… guess what I do? When I’m done slicing and dicing the pineapple, I feel no guilt at all when I pop some of the juiciest bits into my mouth, along with the juice that collects on the cutting board… I just want some of that mighty Bromelain, you know?!
What kind of rice works best for Pineapple Fried Rice ?
What kind of rice works best for making pineapple fried rice? Doesn’t really matter, actually – any variety, white or brown, works perfectly… Well, so long as the cooked rice is not mushy-soft and/or sticky. So, if a rice variety is labeled “sticky rice”, that’s probably not going to work! Also, aged rice typically works better than “new” rice (i.e., recently harvested), which tends to yield a more sticky texture upon cooking.
The pics I’ve posted here are with brown Jasmine rice that I cooked specifically for making this recipe. What makes it different from leftover plain rice? It has a few seasonings added into the cooking liquid. However, it’s not a major issue, since I also frequently make it with any leftover rice. In my kitchen, that usually means white Basmati (Baas-Mutt-tee) rice, which I cook on an almost daily basis.
White rice and Brown rice
I grew up with “polished” white rice as a daily staple – warm and comforting, no matter what it was paired with – Dal, curry, yogurt… The long and elegant-looking grains of perfectly cooked Basmati, its delightful fragrance percolating through the kitchen… to me, that has always been my ‘gold standard’.
I had my first taste of brown rice several years ago: I must say, I was not impressed at all! It looked a bit beat-up, sort of mushy, and when I ate it, the core was so hard, it was almost crunchy! Hmmmm…. This was what my friends were raving about?!
After that unfortunate introduction, I didn’t want to have anything to do with brown rice for quite a while. Eventually, I decided to give it another go and ordered it at one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. When it arrived, I peered at it closely…. and it didn’t look mushy at all! Each grain looked plump and pearly, and when I gingerly bit into one, it was perfectly cooked, all the way to the center.
Okay, I thought… this I might actually grow to like!
Use a pressure cooker to Cook Brown rice
Very mindful of my first experience, I wanted to figure out the best way to cook brown rice to “perfection”. I found lots of suggestions online: the first thing I learned was that it takes significantly longer to cook compared with white rice. The second: use less water than for white rice, which intrigued me because it somehow seemed counterintuitive. It took a few tries, but eventually I settled upon a way that works well for my definition of “perfect”.
So… what is my “fool-proof” way? To use a pressure cooker: in my opinion, it’s the easiest and most reliable way to cook brown rice, hands-down. Any kind of pressure cooker is fine: the modern Instant Pot, or the stove-top style pressure cooker that’s been around for more than 50 years. If you don’t have one, perhaps you should really think about getting one – it will surely make your life simpler.
That said, of course you can cook brown rice without a pressure cooker. Check Recipe Notes for details.
How to cook brown rice in the pressure cooker
So, how to cook brown rice in the pressure cooker? Rinse the rice a few times, drain it completely,then add the measured liquid. How much liquid? I like to use a 1:1.25 ratio of raw rice to water, maybe even just a bit less water than that. It is critical to measure the liquid carefully – do NOT eye-ball it! Stir in some seasonings if you like. I typically add a bit of salt and oil, as well as some black pepper, crushed red pepper, etc, and for this Pineapple Fried rice, I also add star anise.
I like to use the “pot-in-a-pot” technique, which is essentially a pressure-steaming method. It is perfect when you want to cook smaller quantities of food in limited amount of liquid. Place a rack in the “outer” pot of the pressure cooker and add water for steaming. Place the “inner” pot, containing the rice, on the rack, close the lid and cook: full pressure for 22-25 min.
Allow pressure to release normally – be patient, please. Don’t get in a rush to force-release the pressure – not a good idea at all! When you take it out, wait for a few minutes more, so it cools a bit, then gently fluff with a fork. Turn it out onto a plate or cookie sheet, spreading gently to let it cool and dry out a bit, taking care not to smash the delicate kernels. Bite into one little grain. The verdict? Not sticky, not mushy, no crunchy centers… just perfection!
Overall, it takes 40-45 min for this process from start to finish: 6-8 min to reach full pressure, 22-25 min cooking time, then 10-12 min for natural pressure release. However, it’s minimal hands-on work.. Once you put it in the cooker, you’re free to do other things while the rice cooks.
I actually don’t often make brown rice, but when I do, I purposely make some extra. Then I begin to dream about the delicious Pineapple Fried Rice I will have the next day.
Use Fresh Pineapple and Veggies
Fresh pineapple works best for making this fried rice. If it’s not available, it’s OK to use canned pineapple – just make sure that the pineapple is canned in juice and not heavy syrup!
As for the veggies, take your pick – again, fresh is best. I generally like using common pantry staples, such as carrots, bell peppers and onions. Other mild-flavored veggies that work well: snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, jicama, etc.
Typically, I avoid adding strong-flavored vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, rutabagas, radish, etc.) in this dish. Why? Simply because I want the delightful pineapple to stand out and dominate.
Brown Rice: stir fried with Pineapple, Veggies, Tofu, Nuts…
I really like the nutty texture of the brown rice in this dish. It also holds up quite well to the juicy pineapple without turning into mush. The vegetables, of course, add color and crunch, besides all the lovely micro-nutrients that support your well-being. The tofu adds a little protein; to bump up the protein a bit more, I often top the finished dish with roasted cashews and sesame seeds.
Special Diets
This pineapple fried rice is vegetarian and vegan, but not soy-free or nut free. The recipe is also gluten-free, provided you use gluten-free soy sauce.
To make the dish soy-free, omit the crumbled tofu and replace the soy sauce with soy-free Coconut Aminos. Omitting tofu will decrease the protein content, though, so do try to add protein in some other form. Of course, if you’re OK with having dairy products, one such option will be crumbled Paneer (fresh cottage cheese).
If you cannot have nuts, don’t use cashews, and replace the coconut milk with a nut-free milk of your choice – see Recipe Notes for suggestions.
If you enjoy Oriental-style foods, perhaps you’d like to try the following dishes, super-easy and made with fast-cooking Chinese-style thin noodles (aka Hakka Noodles, wheat-based)
- Creamy Noodles with Cabbage – with spicy coconut sauce
- Noodles with Bok Choy – make a quick meal
So… Hope you make this delicious pineapple fried rice for your friends and family. Serve it with a side of steaming hot Tom Yum soup and fresh Edamame (in the pod)…. and enjoy the dreamy look in everyone’s eyes!
Do leave a review and star rating. Much appreciated!
Enjoy!
Pineapple Fried Rice – Scrumptious and Easy
Equipment
- Pressure cooker with insert container/bowl preferred if not available, see Recipe Notes for alternative directions for cooking rice
- Wok or wide frying pan – non-stick coated preferred if not available, non-coated, heavy bottom pan is OK: it may need more oil to prevent sticking/burning
Ingredients
Seasoned Brown Rice (or 1 1/4 cups cooked rice – fluffed)
- 1/2 cup Brown Jasmine Rice if not available, other variety of brown rice OK: small/medium grain preferred. White rice OK too. Also see Recipe Notes
- 9 tbsp Water 9 tbsp = 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp
- 1/4 tsp Salt do not add extra at this stage: adjust at the end, since the soy sauce and chilli paste add saltiness too.
- 1/8 tsp Black peppercorns – 5-6
- 1/4 tsp Crushed Red pepper Chilli flakes
- 1 piece Star Anise broken pieces OK (4-5 pieces)
- 1 tsp Oil I like Peanut oil; any mild oil OK; do NOT use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinated Tofu – (for soy-free, but not vegan, use Paneer/fresh cottage cheese)
- 1/4 cup Tofu : extra firm – crumbled coarsely for soy-free, use Paneer/fresh cottage cheese (this will not be vegan)
- 1 tsp Soy sauce – low-sodium for soy-free and gluten-free, use Coconut Aminos
- 2 tsp Water
- 1 tsp Fresh Red Chilli Paste I recommend Sambal Oelek; other red chilli paste is fine too; see Recipe Notes
- 1/4 tsp Ginger- grated
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Oil omit if using Paneer
Other ingredients
- 1/2 cup Fresh Pineapple – diced small if fresh not available, canned is OK
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger – grated if not available, use 1/2 tsp dried ginger powder –
- 1 tsp Garlic – minced 1-2 cloves
- 1/4 cup Green onions – white and light green part- sliced rounds 3-4 green onions
- 1/4 cup Carrots – shredded
- 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper – diced small
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes – diced small about 1 medium Roma; any variety OK
- 1 tsp Fresh Red Chilli Paste I recommend Sambal Oelek; other red chilli paste is fine too; see Recipe Notes
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil Not toasted Sesame Oil; other mild-flavored oil OK too
- 2 tbsp Coconut Milk For Nut-free: use other nut-free plant-based milk; see Recipe Notes
- 1/2 tsp Soy sauce – low sodium for soy-free and gluten-free, use Coconut Aminos
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste – highly recommended if not available, use fresh red chilli paste – I recommend Sambal Oelek; other red chilli paste is fine too; see Recipe Notes
Toppings
- 2 tbsp Roasted Cashews Omit fro Nut-free
- 1 tbsp Roasted Sesame seeds Brown or white
- 1/4 cup Green onions – green tops – sliced from 3-4 green onions
- 2 tbsp Cilantro- optional – chopped
Instructions
Cook the brown rice first: Skip this part if you have leftover cooked rice – see Recipe Notes for adding seasonings to cooked rice.
- Place the brown rice (1/2 cup) in a bowl. Add water and scrub gently. Carefully pour the water off and repeat 2-3 times – the water will start to look almost clear by the 3rd rinse.Transfer the rinsed rice to a fine mesh strainer and drain thoroughly.
- Transfer the drained rice to a stainless steel pressure cooker insert container (or a stainless steel bowl that can fit inside the pressure cooker – about 1 qt/1 L) size should work fine)Add carefully measured water – 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (about 9 oz) to the rice. Add the seasonings: salt, star anise, black pepper, crushed red pepper and oil. Stir to mix.Prepare the pressure cooker for "pot-in-pot" cooking: place the rack and add about 2 cups water to the "outer" pot. Place the rice container – the "inner" pot – on the rack, close the lid and start cooking – cook at full pressure for 25 min. Allow pressure to release normally. if pressure is not fully released after 12-13 min, force-release residual pressure carefully.
While the rice cooks, prep the remaining ingredients
- Place the tofu in a bowl and gently crumble it with your fingers.
- Prepare the marinade in a separate bowl : mix soy sauce, water, ginger, fresh red chilli paste, sugar, and oil.
- Add the marinade to the crumbled tofu; cover and set aside to absorb flavors while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare the seasoned coconut milk mixture: mix 2 tbsp coconut milk with 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp soy sauce (or Coconut Aminos) and 1 tsp Thai Red Curry paste.
- Cover and set aside.
- Rinse and slice the green onions, separating the white and light green bottom part from the dark green tops.
- Peel and chop the garlic.
- Rinse, peel and grate/shred the ginger
- Rinse, peel and shred the carrots
- Rinse and dice the red bell pepper – small dice
- Rinse and dice the tomatoes
- Dice the pineapple – small dice, collecting the juice that is released while cutting.
Check the pressure cooker
- Check the pressure cooker: the pressure should be released by this time. Open the lid and remove the rice container from the cooker (use tongs – it will be hot!) and set it aside to cool a little before turning out on to a plate/cookie sheet. Spread gently with a fork to separate the grains and cool further, taking care not to smash the delicate rice kernels.
Prepare the fried rice
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok or shallow frying pan (10 inch/25 cm)
- Add sliced onion (white and light green part), garlic and ginger and saute for about 1 min on medium heat.
- Add carrots and red bell peppers
- Add pineapple, along with the collected juice. Stir to mix.
- Add 1 tsp fresh red chilli paste and stir to mix.
- Spread the cooled brown rice over the pineapple and veggie mixture.Spread the marinated tofu crumbles over the rice.
- Spread the tomatoes evenly. Using a small spoon, drizzle the seasoned coconut milk all over. Do NOT stir.
- Cover and simmer 8-10 min on low-medium heat
- Remove cover: the tomatoes should be cooked
- Mix gently, then top with half of the sliced green onions (dark green tops), cilantro and roasted cashews.
- Transfer to serving platter and top remaining green onions and roasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, accompanied by soup, steamed Edamame pods, etc. Put out extra soy sauce and chilli sauce to let folks add extra seasonings as they wish.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Plain Cooked Rice: Season it!
If using leftover plain cooked rice (white or brown), it will taste much better if you season it before adding to the sauteed veggie-pineapple mixture.
- Spread out the cooked rice on a dinner plate : about 1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups of cooked, gently separated rice kernels.
- Sprinkle the following over the rice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
- Mix
- 1/2 tsp fresh chilli paste
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp water
- Drizzle the oil-chilli paste-water mixture over the rice
- Use your fingers to gently mix the seasonings into the rice
- Sprinkle the following over the rice
- Cover and set aside the seasoned rice for 10-15 min while you prep remaining ingredients.
Cook Brown Rice without pressure cooker
If ou do not have a pressure cooker, no worries. You can easily cook it in a heavy bottom pot on the stove-top – it will just take a bit longer and will require some baby-sitting along the way. I have described a couple of different ways to do it. You will need to decide which one you might prefer. Cook it like Pasta:- Bring about 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan (2qt / 2L)
- add seasonings as directed for cooking rice
- Decrease heat and add the rinsed rice ( see Recipe Directions for rinsing rice)
- Bring back to a gentle boil
- Simmer, uncovered, for about 25 min, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at the bottom
- Check for done-ness:
- Pull out a couple of kernels with a spoon, cool a bit and then do a bite- and taste-test.
- It should be soft-cooked all the way to the center- not hard/crunchy.
- Pull out a couple of kernels with a spoon, cool a bit and then do a bite- and taste-test.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a sturdy bowl or other container
- preferably stainless steel mesh
- Pour the hot cooked rice with the cooking liquid into the strainer
- Collect the cooking liquid:
- It is a bit starchy and has nutrients from the rice: do not throw!
- Use it for making soup or for cooking other food
- It is a bit starchy and has nutrients from the rice: do not throw!
- Return the hot rice back to the pot and cover with a lid
- Set aside for 5-10 min.
- Gently fluff with a fork and spread on a plate to cool and dry out a bit.
- Use in the recipe as directed
- Collect the cooking liquid:
- Follow directions as for pressure-cooker, except place the container with the rice in a steamer assembly.
- Make sure there is enough water at the bottom of the steamer pan
- Start heating until you see steam.
- Decrease heat and steam for about 35-40 min.
- Check for done-ness
- If center of rice is still hard in the center, continue to steam for another 8-10 min
- be sure to check that there is enough water at the bottom of the steamer pan – add boiling hot water (NOT cold water), if need be.
- check for done-ness again
- If center of rice is still hard in the center, continue to steam for another 8-10 min
- When rice is fully cooked, turn the heat off, but leave it in the steamer pan for another 10 min or so.
- Remove the rice from the steamer pan, let cool for a few min and fluff with a fork.
- Spread out on a plate to cool and dry out a little.
- Use in the recipe as directed
To make this dish Soy-free:
- Replace Soy sauce with Soy-free Coconut Aminos
- Replace Tofu with fresh Paneer or cottage cheese
- this will keep the recipe vegetarian but not vegan
- Omit Tofu:
- this will decrease the protein content of the dish
- add other protein component of your choice: either on the rice, or as a side dish
To make this dish Gluten-free:
- Use gluten-free Soy sauce – such as Tamari Sauce or Coconut Aminos
To make this dish Nut-free:
- Use Nut-free Oil
- Replace coconut milk with nut-free milk of your choice – pumpkin seed milk is a good option
- Replace Cashews with pumpkin/sunflower seeds
Storing leftovers
This rice is best when freshly made. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered glass/ceramic container. It does not freeze well – becomes soggy and unappetizing upon thawing and reheating.- Consume refrigerated leftovers within 2-3 days.
- Reheat in a pan on the stove-top, or in the microwave until heated through.
Sushamji,
Thank you for the recipe. I love pineapple.
Regards,
Sudha
You’re welcome. I love pineapple too!
Wow…looks delicious..yummy…will try to make it.. 👍
Great! Let me know how it turns out.