Although the name of the recipe may make you think I simply grabbed the first things I had in the fridge for this dish, I assure you that this wok-fried rice with pineapple and apple is absolutely incredible. The contrast between the sweetness of the fruit and the spicy touch of the chilli oil is very interesting, and the result is fabulous. The rice stays loose, and the eggs add a slightly creamy texture that balances the dish beautifully.
In this recipe, one of the most important things to bear in mind is that the rice must stay loose. The key to perfect fried rice is always to use cooked, cold rice. As it cools, the starch in the rice stabilises and the grains become firmer. If you cook it the day before and leave it in the fridge, it will be just right for stir-frying. Hot rice contains more moisture and active starch, so if it is used without cooling, it will clump together in the wok.
As you can see, the secret to perfect fried rice is within everyone’s reach. But there is also another very important point, and that is the material of the utensil we are going to cook it in. Ideally, you should use an iron wok such as the Ken Hom Excellence wok, as iron reaches and retains high temperatures, helping moisture to evaporate quickly. This favours quick stir-fries, as in this recipe, and results in loose, lightly toasted and delicious rice!
And now that we have the keys to achieving a professional result, let’s move on to the recipe for wok-fried rice with pineapple and apple.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300 g rice (uncooked), cooked and cold (preferably from the day before)
- 4 eggs
- One fresh pineapple, peeled
- 2-3 apples, peeled
- 4-6 spring onion stalks
- 4 tablespoons mild olive oil
- Chilli oil to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Take the cooked rice out of the fridge and set aside.
- Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them with a little salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Now cut the pineapple into not-too-large cubes, removing the tougher central core. Also cut the apples into cubes, more or less the same size as the pineapple, and slice the spring onion stalks into rounds of about half a centimetre. Set aside.
- Heat your Ken Hom Excellence iron wok over a medium heat and let it come up to temperature.
- When you notice the wok giving off heat and it is very hot, add the oil and the cooked, cold rice. Stir with the help of two spatulas so that it heats and cooks evenly. You can press it lightly against the wok before stirring, so that it heats through well. Continue stir-frying the rice until you can see that it is completely hot.
- At this point, when all the rice is very hot, add the beaten eggs directly over the rice and stir constantly so they set and are evenly incorporated.
- Add the spring onion and stir to mix it in well.
- Now add the chilli oil to your taste and stir to distribute the flavour.
- Finally, add the pineapple and apple cubes; stir to combine all the ingredients and warm the fruit slightly.
- As soon as you see that it is ready (you don’t want the fruit to fall apart), taste and add more chilli oil if needed.
- Remove the wok from the heat and add the sesame oil before serving, to give it a very aromatic touch that goes wonderfully with this rice.
