Thai Fried Jasmine Rice with Egg and Corn Recipe
This simple fried rice with egg and corn is a Thai way to use up yesterday’s rice. In Thailand, similar dishes often appear for breakfast or a quick lunch – they’re cheap, filling, and ready in minutes. The flavors are mild, so it’s great for kids or anyone just starting to explore Thai cuisine.
Khao pad is one of the most everyday dishes in Thailand, sold everywhere from school cafeterias to street carts. At home it’s usually made from whatever is on hand – leftover vegetables, day‑old rice, and a bit of protein.
This dish shows how Thais can turn leftover rice into something that smells like street food yet still feels very homey. The delicate egg flavor, sweet corn, and light crunch of carrot create a comforting bowl that takes well to extra lime and pepper added right on the plate.
Why this version works
- Using well‑chilled rice lets the grains fry separately instead of clumping together.
- Cooking the eggs separately gives you soft, distinct pieces instead of scrambled eggs that disappear into the background.
- The mix of soy sauce and fish sauce builds a deeper, more Thai‑style flavor than soy sauce alone.
- Briefly stir‑fried carrot adds crunch and corn adds sweetness, so the dish doesn’t taste flat.
Chef's tips
It’s best to fry the rice in the largest pan or wok you have, even if you’re only cooking for two – a thin layer browns much more easily. A common mistake is leaving big clumps of rice that stay cold and pale inside; break them up with a spatula until every grain is separate. At the right stage of frying you’ll hear a gentle crackling sound and the rice will start to smell nutty, but not like burnt oil.
How to serve
Serve as a stand‑alone dish for a quick lunch or late breakfast, with cucumber and lime on the side for seasoning at the table. For a bigger meal, pair with Thai coconut soup or simple stir‑fried vegetables; it also works great as a side for grilled chicken or tofu.
Watch out for
- Don’t use hot, freshly cooked rice – it will turn into a sticky mass in the pan.
- Don’t add too much rice at once; a thick layer will steam instead of fry.
- Add sauces gradually, tasting as you go, because it’s easy to oversalt the finished dish.
- Fry the garlic only briefly; if it gets too dark, it will make the whole rice taste bitter.
Substitutions
- You can swap the corn for green peas or a mixed frozen vegetable blend.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the fish sauce and slightly increase the amount of soy sauce.
- You can replace scallions with finely chopped onion or just chives.
- You can substitute white pepper with black pepper, adding it gradually because its aroma is sharper.
Ingredients
- cooked and cooled jasmine rice - 300 g
- eggs - 2 pieces
- canned or frozen corn - 80 g
- carrot - 0.5 piece
- spring onion dymka - 2 piece
- soy sauce sojowy - 1.5 tablespoons
- fish sauce rybny - 1 tablespoon
- oil roślinny - 2 tablespoons
- garlic - 1 clove
- black pepper biały lub czarny mielony - 0.25 teaspoons
- cucumber slices for serving
- lime quarter for serving - 2 piece
Preparation
- Prepare all the ingredients: beat the eggs in a small bowl, finely dice the carrot, slice the spring onion, and finely chop the garlic. If the rice is clumped together, loosen it with your fingers so the grains separate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and fry for about 1 minute, gently stirring, until you get soft scrambled pieces. Transfer the eggs to a plate.
- In the same pan, add the second tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the carrot and fry for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened. Then add the corn and half of the sliced spring onion and fry for another minute.
- Add the cooked rice. Fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, stirring often and breaking up any clumps, until the rice is hot and slightly dried.
- Pour in the soy sauce and fish sauce, sprinkle with pepper. Mix thoroughly so the sauce coats the rice and vegetables evenly.
- Add the scrambled eggs back to the pan, gently mix, and fry for another 1–2 minutes until everything is well combined.
- Transfer the rice to plates and sprinkle with the remaining spring onion. Serve with cucumber slices and lime quarters for squeezing over before eating.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like this version best with a really generous amount of pepper and plenty of lime – that’s when this simple “fridge‑clearout” turns into a bowl I guard from the rest of the household.
