Pineapple Fried Rice
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.
When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
1 large ripe pineapple
1-3/4 cups long-grain white rice
2-1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp. shredded coconut, toasted, for garnish (optional)
1/3 cup (1-1/2 oz. ) finely sliced long beans or green beans
2-1/2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
2-1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 cup (2-1/2 oz. ) finely diced yellow onion
1/2 cup (2-1/2 oz. ) diced firm tofu bean curd) or tempeh
2 tsp. grated or finely minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup (2-1/2 oz. ) sliced canned straw mushrooms, or 2 oz. fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced if large
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 fresh red Fresno chile, seeded and chopped
2 tsp. tomato paste
1-1/2 tsp. mashed yellow bean sauce or fermented tofu and its brine
superfine white sugar, to taste
light soy sauce, to taste
Instructions:
Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise, cutting straight through the crown (leaves). Using a sharp knife, remove the flesh from the skins. Cut the flesh into 1/2″ cubes. You will need 1-1/2 cups of cubes to make this recipe. Turn the 2 empty pineapple skins upside down on a tray to drain.
Place the rice into a heavy saucepan and add the water. Cover and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting so that the rice cooks very gently (place a heat diffuser over the heat source, if necessary). Do not lift the lid for at least the first 20 minutes of cooking; then, if you want, stir the rice lightly with a fork and return the lid promptly. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy and dry, about 6 minutes longer. Meanwhile, in a small skillet without oil, toast the coconut if using, until golden, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Parboil the beans in a small saucepan of lightly salted water for 1-1/2 minutes. Drain the beans and set them aside. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat and add the garlic. Fry, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, then add the onion and diced tofu or tempeh, and stir-fry until lightly golden, about 3-1/2 minutes. Add the ginger, beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, chile, tomato paste and yellow bean sauce or fermented tofu. Stir the mixture over high heat for about 2 minutes, then add the rice and continue stirring, tossing, and turning until well mixed.
Stir the 1-1/2 cups of diced pineapple into the rice, and add the sugar and soy sauce. Cook a little longer until heated through. Mound the rice in the pineapple shells and garnish with the toasted coconut. Serve at once.
Recipe from: “The Vegetarian Table: Thailand” by Jacki Passmore, 1997.