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Home » Asian » Crab Fried Rice Thai Style

Crab Fried Rice Thai Style

By Hank Shaw on December 27, 2021 - 7 Comments

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5 from 8 votes
Finished crab fried rice recipe, the bowl and ready to eat
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I love any sort of fried rice, but crab fried rice is especially good. Why? Because the flaky crabmeat melds seamlessly with the fried rice, far better than most other meats. This recipe is a quick, easy supper that comes together in less than 30 minutes. 

A bowl of crab fried rice
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Speed and freedom are the beauties of fried rice. The concept of the dish is essentially a “garbage plate” made with cold, leftover rice and whatever is lying around. Toss it all together with an egg, random meat, shellfish and vegetables, and bam, there’s dinner.

I got the idea for my crab fried rice from an excellent primer on preparing Asian food called Healthy Asian Favorites, which is perfect for home cooks living outside the big Asian centers of this country. Full disclosure: It’s written by my friend Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen.

Jaden’s is not an in-depth book on Asian cuisine, nor is it intended as such. It’s a book for novices, busy family cooks or hunters and anglers looking for a simple, honest guide to help them break into Asian cooking: Almost all her recipes can be made with wild game or fish.

In this case crabmeat. Any variety will do. Use leftover crab if you have it, but crawfish tails, bay scallops, very small shrimp or chopped lobster meat would all be great here. 

My rendition of crab fried rice looks to Thailand for inspiration: The pineapple, lemongrass and the fish sauce are your tip-offs. Fish sauce, if you’ve never heard of it, is sorta like soy sauce only it’s made from the juices of heavily salted anchovies and such.

It virtually identical to the Ancient Roman garum, which Julius Caesar splashed on everything. Tastewise, the kind you can get in most American stores is crystal clear, slightly funky and pretty salty. Always look for clear fish sauce: If you shop in Asian markets, you’ll find some ferocious varieties with lots of… debris in it. Not my favorite.

Fortunately, fish sauce is getting really easy to find. I’ve seen it in markets in places like Gloucester, MA, Billings, MT, and even in Booneville, MO. Can’t find it or hate the stuff? Use soy sauce.

(Looking for a Chinese style fried rice? Try my recipe for duck fried rice.)

Lemongrass is also getting easier to find in supermarkets, and I’ve seen tubes of pre-minced lemongrass on sale, too. Definitely look for it because the lemony flavor adds a lot to the crab fried rice, but you can skip it and still make a good dish. If you can’t find lemongrass, squeeze the juice of a lime over the pan when you’re done cooking. 

This crab fried rice will go really well with Vietnamese crispy fish if you want to make a Southeast Asian fish feast.

OTHER FRIED RICE RECIPES

Other than crab fried rice, you will find a host of other fried rice recipes here on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook:

  • Duck fried rice, done Chinese style.
  • Mushroom fried rice, which can be done with any fresh mushroom.
  • I also make my Cajun dirty rice in the style of Asian fried rice, if you want to go that route.
A bowl of crab fried rice
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Crab Fried Rice with Pineapple

This can be made with any sort of crab. You can get those refrigerated jars of pasteurized crab meat that are good. I used fresh pineapple, but you don't need a whole pineapple for the recipe. So canned will work if you don't feel like eating the rest for a snack. If you are a novice to fried rice, the one vital thing you need to remember is to start with cool cooked rice. I usually use day-old rice or at least rice I've made in the morning. Once made, this is best eaten immediately, although I've reheated it for lunches later and it was OK.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 362kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil, lard or other vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (optional)
  • 3 to 5 dried hot chiles, broken up and partially seeded
  • 1/2 pound crabmeat
  • 1/2 pound pineapple, cut into chunks
  • 3 cups cooked, cooled rice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a wok or large, non-stick sauté pan over high heat. Use your hottest burner, too. The second the oil begins to smoke, pour in the beaten eggs and swirl them around in the pan to coat it in a thin layer. Let this cook for a couple seconds, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it up into pieces. Tip it out of the pan and into a bowl. Set aside.
  • Wipe the inside of the wok with a paper towel and add the remaining peanut oil. Let this heat up for a minute or so, but don't let it smoke. Add the chopped green onions, ginger, lemongrass and chiles and stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute over high heat.
  • Add the rice, crabmeat, pineapple, cooked eggs and fish sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Now let the mixture cook undisturbed for 1 minute; this gives it a little color. Toss well and repeat the process for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and mix in the cilantro.

Notes

Keep in mind you can use crawfish tails, bay scallops, very small shrimp or chopped lobster meat as substitutes.

Keys to Success

  • You really do want old rice here. Even week-old rice, kept in the fridge, will work well. If you don't have leftover rice lying around, you can cook regular steamed rice, then spread it out on a baking sheet to cool. Do not use the rice until it has completely cooled to room temperature. 
  • If you have an Asian market near you, you could try adding a tablespoon of minced galangal to the mix, as well as fresh, red Thai chiles. 
  • Lime juice is a great addition here, too, although the acidity of the pineapple should be enough. 
  • The pineapple can be fresh or canned. 

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

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Filed Under: Asian, Featured, Fish, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Daniel GerzinaDaniel Gerzina says

    February 2, 2022 at 7:50 am

    I will admit I was skeptical of the pineapple at first, but I am glad I went with it. This makes an excellent weeknight meal, really quick, really easy, really good. Thanks Hank!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Kathy WilsonKathy Wilson says

    January 23, 2022 at 8:04 pm

    Quick, fresh, and delicious!! We loved this dish!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Heather LillyHeather Lilly says

    January 15, 2022 at 3:22 pm

    Very tasty and easy to make.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for IvanIvan says

    January 2, 2022 at 9:02 pm

    I render all my own lard. I save the cracklins, frozen in 1-pint containers, and use them in fried rice and farofa. One of my favorite breakfasts is Filipino-style garlic fried rice, with pork cracklins, plenty of crushed garlic, chopped green onions, and fish sauce, with a fried egg or two on top.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Porter LansingPorter Lansing says

    December 28, 2021 at 6:54 am

    I made your dish, simulated Holly’s photo composition, and posted it on Instagram. The acceptance was minimal even though the dish appeared excellent. The next day (today) it came to me. Backstory is I have a worldwide following, with a large contingent in Asia. At first I thought my American rice was unappealing and somehow wrong. Then realized that crossed chopsticks means death in most of the world. I deleted the shot from IG and hope not to make that mistake, again. Love your work, Holly and Hank. Thank you, so very much.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 28, 2021 at 8:45 am

      Porter: Good tip. I knew that but had forgotten it. I won’t forget again. Thanks!

      Reply
  6. Avatar for JocelynJocelyn says

    March 23, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    You know what makes the best crab fried rice? The guts! Or the “butter” if we want to be all classy about it. My mother makes a spectacular dish out of just the butter and rice sauteed with green onions and black pepper, but I bet it’d be amazing in this version. Have you done a post on crab butter yet? It seems right up your alley.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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