This version of fried rice uses some of my favorite flavors from Thai cooking. The salty, sweet, spicy, and tart from the fish sauce dressing plus plenty of fresh herbs make every bite pop. 

Why the cucumber slices? Plain, cold cucumbers (straight from the fridge) make for a cooling contrast to all the bold flavors. 

No coconut flakes in the pantry? Roasted peanuts or cashews are great crunchy substitutes.

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs. fish sauce or 2½ Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbs. minced ginger
  • 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
  • ¼ tsp. brown sugar
  • 1 serrano chili pepper, minced
  • 1 Tbs. neutral-tasting oil (like peanut, grapeseed, safflower, or sunflower)
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 3 cups cold leftover brown rice
  • 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed from frozen
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro and/or basil leaves
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
  • ¼ cup toasted coconut flakes
  • 1 cup thickly sliced cold cucumber (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, make the dressing: Mix the fish sauce, ginger, lime juice, sugar, and chili pepper until the sugar dissolves. 
  2. In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Stir-fry the onion until tender-crisp, 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and stir-fry until hot, about 1 minute. Add the edamame and stir-fry until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Season with the fish sauce dressing. 
  3. Serve warm topped with the herbs and coconut flakes. Serve the cucumbers on the side.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1½ cups):

  • Calories: 300
  • Total fat: 9 g
  • Sat fat: 3 g
  • Carbs: 47 g
  • Fiber: 6 g
  • Total sugar: 4 g
  • Added sugar: 1 g 
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Sodium: 370 mg