Thai Crab Fried Rice

Thai Crab Fried Rice

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A street-food classic from Thailand, this fried rice tosses jasmine rice with sweet crab meat, eggs, and garlic, then finishes with fish sauce and white pepper. Served alongside cucumber and a fish-sauce chili dip, it's a quick, deeply savory one-pan meal that delivers restaurant-quality flavor in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time27 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

  • 480 kcalCalories
  • 14 gFat
  • 3 gSaturated Fat
  • 62 gCarbs
  • 2 gFiber
  • 3 gSugar
  • 24 gProtein
  • 980 mgSodium
  • 420 mgPotassium
  • 110 mgCalcium
  • 3 mgIron
  • 8 mgVitamin C
  • 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the fried rice

  • 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old and cold)
  • 8 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shell pieces
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

For seasoning and garnish

  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cucumber, sliced into spears
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

  1. Break up any clumps in the cold cooked rice with your hands or a fork so the grains separate easily.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until just smoking.
  3. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble quickly, breaking them into small bits; push to one side of the wok.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then the garlic and onion; stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the crab meat and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, letting it lightly caramelize at the edges.
  6. Add the rice and toss vigorously to coat every grain in the oil and aromatics, about 1 minute.
  7. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper; keep tossing until the rice is hot and slightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Stir in the green onions, toss once more, and remove from the heat.
  9. Plate the fried rice and serve immediately with cucumber spears, lime wedges, and a small dish of fish sauce mixed with sliced Thai chilies for dipping.

Cook’s Notes

  • Day-old rice is essential; freshly cooked rice steams in the wok and turns mushy.
  • Get the wok screaming hot before adding anything for the signature smoky wok hei flavor.
  • A spoonful of Thai chili paste (nam prik pao) adds color and a smoky depth if you like more heat.
  • Pick over canned crab carefully for shell fragments, or use fresh lump crab for the sweetest flavor.
  • Don't overcrowd the wok; if doubling the recipe, cook in two batches to keep ingredients seared rather than steamed.
DinnerSavoureux