Thai-style crab fried rice is a popular Thai street food that’s quick and easy to make. It is a Thai street food suitable for everyone’s palates as it’s not spicy. Since it is so easy to prepare, you can whip up a restaurant-quality fried rice perfect for your family dinner in just fifteen minutes.

I want to show you how to make crab fried rice at home, which is just as good as the restaurant. Besides, there will be tips and tricks on preventing the rice from sticking to the wok, even stir-fry over high heat.

Let’s get into the details right away!

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1. The main ingredients for the Thai fried rice

Before delving into how to stir-fry the rice, let’s look at the few ingredients required.

a. The rice

Leftover rice is ideal for preparing all types of fried rice, as it is less sticky and produces fried rice that is well separated.

However, you can still use fresh rice to prepare perfect fried rice. To do this, cook the Jasmine rice with slightly less water to make it drier. After cooking the fresh rice, remove any excess moisture by spreading it on a large tray and letting it cool under a fan for fifteen minutes.

A large wok or skillet is the best utensil to fry rice since it provides enough space for the ingredients to move around and prevent the rice from falling out during cooking. I always use a well-seasoned wok, which has been with me for decades and is still one of my most productive and reliable cooking utensils.

b. Eggs

Eggs are a crucial ingredient in almost all types of fried rice. However, when using eggs in fried rice, it is important to ensure they are fully cooked or at least partially set before spreading them thinly in the wok. Uncooked or wet eggs can easily stick to the wok, which can be solved by adding more oil. However, to make the fried rice healthier, I prefer to keep the oil to a minimum.

c. Crab meat

It is certainly best to use fresh crab meat. However, if fresh crab meat is unavailable, you can also use leftover, canned, or frozen crab meat, which is just as good. Frozen crab meat can be more convenient since you don’t need to remove the flesh from the shell yourself.

d. Seasonings

The seasonings for Thai fried rice are simple. You will only need light soy sauce, fish sauce, and ground white pepper to achieve the authentic flavor. Besides, you can enhance the taste by adding some sesame oil.

2. The detailed steps to prepare Thai crab fried rice

The preparation for crab fried rice is similar to other fried rice recipes. Here are the steps:

1. First, heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok over low heat. I prefer peanut oil, but other vegetable oils with high smoking points, such as corn, palm, or canola oil, work equally well. 
2. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry it over low heat until it turns light brown. It is important to keep the heat low, as minced garlic can burn quickly.
3. Next, pour the beaten eggs into the wok. Break up the eggs and push them to the side of the pan (or wok) when they are about to set. You may remove the eggs first if the wok is too small.
4. Using your hand, break up the cooked rice to separate each grain. This step is important as it ensures each grain will be fried evenly, producing the best wok aroma.  
5. Fry the rice over low heat initially, letting the oil coat each grain so they do not stick together and prevent them from getting stuck to the bottom of the wok when I turn up the heat at the later stage of stir-frying.
6. Next, push the egg back to the center of the wok to mix with the rice. Gradually increase the heat to medium until the rice grains are lightly toasted. 
7. Season the rice with light soy sauce, ground white pepper, fish sauce, and a little sugar to balance the taste. 
8. Increase the heat to high to create the wok aroma. Stir-fry the ingredients at high heat for half a minute.
9. Add the chopped green onions and cilantro. Stir-fry the rice over high heat to create the wok aroma. 
10. Lastly, garnish the fried rice with more chopped green onions and cilantro. You can use either one, but most Thai street food vendors will have a mix of these two ingredients ready to put on top of the fried rice to serve.
11. Serve the fried rice with lime wedges and a few cucumber slices. Squeeze some lime juice and mix the Prik Nam Pla  (see below) with the rice, which adds a different flavor dimension that accentuates the fried rice’s taste.

Note:

I use my high-power stove and well-seasoned cast iron wok to create the coveted wok aroma. However, if you don’t have a cast iron wok, you can still use an induction stove to achieve similar results. Simply fry the rice over the highest heat setting your stove can generate. Additionally, stir-frying the rice in small batches can help maintain the high heat necessary for producing those familiar Chinese restaurant wok aromas.

3. Make some Prik Nam Pla and serve it with the rice

I prefer serving the crab fried rice with the Thai dipping sauce called Prik Nam Pla. It’s optional, but it adds a delightful dimension to the dish.

It is very easy to prepare. Simply place some chopped Thai chilis and garlic in a small bowl to prepare the sauce. Add a squeeze of lime juice and fish sauce for a tasty blend. Please refer to the note section in the recipe below for the details.

4. Other related recipes

As you enjoyed this Thai crab fried rice recipe, I recommend trying other popular Thai dishes featured on this blog. 

• For a milder, soupy option, try the Thai coconut chicken soup. This dish is made with lemongrass, coconut cream, and chicken. 
• Another quick and easy option is the Thai vegetable stir-fry, seasoned with fish sauce for added flavor. 
• Pad Kra Pao – a delicious Thai stir-fry made with ground meat and loads of basil- is my favorite.