Thai fried rice facts for kids
Thai fried rice, with common garnishes of cucumber, lime (for squeezing on top), tomato, and green onion served on a bed of lettuce.
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| Alternative names | khao phat |
|---|---|
| Type | Rice dish |
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Central Thailand |
| Associated national cuisine | Thailand |
Thai fried rice (Thai: ข้าวผัด, RTGS: khao phat, pronounced [kʰâ(ː)w pʰàt]) is a super popular dish from Thailand. It's a type of fried rice that's a big part of Thai cuisine. In the Thai language, khao means "rice" and phat means "stir-fried." So, khao phat literally means "stir-fried rice"!
This tasty dish is different from Chinese fried rice because it uses special Thai jasmine rice. It usually has meat like chicken, shrimp, or crab. You'll also find egg, onions, garlic, and sometimes tomatoes in it.
To make it, cooks stir-fry all the ingredients together with special seasonings. These can include soy sauce, sugar, salt, and a little chili sauce. A very important ingredient is nampla, which is fish sauce.
When the dish is ready, it's served with fresh sides. These often include slices of cucumber and tomato, a wedge of lime to squeeze on top, and fresh sprigs of green onion and coriander. Sometimes, people add phrik nampla, a spicy sauce made with Thai chilies, chopped garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar.
Types of Thai Fried Rice
Thai fried rice comes in many different types. The name often changes based on the main ingredient or where it comes from. Here are some examples:
- Khao phat mu (ข้าวผัดหมู) – This is fried rice with pork.
- Khao phat kai (ข้าวผัดไก่) – This version has chicken.
- Khao phat thale (ข้าวผัดทะเล) – This means seafood fried rice.
- Khao phat kung (ข้าวผัดกุ้ง) – This type uses shrimp.
- Khao phat pu (ข้าวผัดปู) – This is fried rice with crab meat.
- Khao phat khai (ข้าวผัดไข่) – This is simply egg fried rice.
- Khao phat kaphrao (ข้าวผัดกะเพรา) – This one includes basil.
- Khao phat sapparot (ข้าวผัดสับปะรด) – This is pineapple fried rice. A fancier version, khao op sapparot, is served inside a hollowed-out pineapple with raisins and cashew nuts.
- Khao phat che (ข้าวผัดเจ) – This is a vegetarian fried rice.
- Khao phat tom yam (ข้าวผัดต้มยำ) – This fried rice is inspired by tom yum soup.
- Khao phat kaeng khiao wan (ข้าวผัดแกงเขียวหวาน) – This type is mixed with green curry paste.
- Khao phat rotfai (ข้าวผัดรถไฟ) – Meaning "train fried rice," it's mixed with dark soy sauce or red fermented bean curd.
- Khao phat amerikan (ข้าวผัดอเมริกัน) – This "American fried rice" uses hot dogs, fried chicken, and eggs. It often has ketchup added. It became popular in Thailand when it was served to U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War.
- Khao khluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) – This is fried rice mixed with shrimp paste.
See also
In Spanish: Arroz frito tailandés para niños
