Thai Crab Fried Rice | Khao Pad Bu | ข้าวผัดปู

This Thai Crab Fried Rice is so simple, yet so delicious. The sweet, succulent bites of crab really shine against the backdrop of salty, sour, and slightly peppery flavors of the fried rice.

Crab Fried Rice ranks pretty high up there on the long list of my Thai husband's favorite foods. I think he would replace Jasmine Rice with Crab Fried Rice as an accompaniment to every meal, given the opportunity.  It would be hard for me to go that far, as the subtle flavors of the fried rice would be completely overpowered by a spicy green curry or other flavorful main dish.  However, I totally understand why he likes it so much.

The flavors of this Crab Fried Rice are similar to those of Thai fried rice, with saltiness from fish sauce and soy sauce, a refreshing pop of lime, and a little spice from ground white pepper.  These flavors are subtle, yet delicious, and really let the succulent crab shine as the star of the dish.  It's a winner in both of our books!

Thai Crab Fried Rice

In Thai, Crab Fried Rice is known as Khao Pad Bu (ข้าวผัดปู). Khao means rice, and Pad means to stir fry; therefore Khao Pad refers to Stir Fried Rice AKA Fried Rice. For more Thai culinary words, see How to Interpret a Thai Menu.

The base of Crab Fried Rice is Thai Fried Rice. Thai fried rice is made with salty seasoning sauces, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of ground white pepper. It does not usually contain vegetables other than cilantro and green onions. This fried rice has eggs, and you can add in any other protein you like. If you make Thai fried rice with chicken, it is known as Khao Pad Gai (Gai=chicken). If you make it with crab, it is known as Khao Pad Bu (Bu=crab, or paternal grandfather depending on your intonation! :).

My Thai husband isn't the only one who loves Crab Fried Rice. This dish is quite popular in Thailand, and can be found at restaurants and food stalls throughout the country.

Ingredients

• Jasmine Rice: Cooked jasmine rice is the base of this dish. It's best to use refrigerated leftover or "day old" rice, as it is drier and less likely to become soggy when stir frying. If you only have freshly-made rice, you can spread it on a sheet pan and allow it to dry out while you're preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Crab Meat: Blue crab, Dungeness crab, King crab.... any type of fresh crab meat will work!
• Garlic and White Onion: Garlic and white onion provide a base layer of aromatic flavor for this fried rice. Chop the garlic finely and slice the white onion.
• Green Onion and Cilantro: Green onion and cilantro are added at the end of the cooking process, to add a bit of greenery and herbaceous flavor.
• Eggs: Eggs are scrambled and then mixed into the rice as it cooks.
• Fish Sauce: A good quality Thai fish sauce is preferred to add that salty umami flavor.
• Thin Soy Sauce: Just like fish sauce, a Thai brand of thin soy sauce will give you the correct flavor in this dish.
• Ground White Pepper: Ground white pepper or white pepper powder adds a subtle spice and a lot of flavor to this fried rice. It's just not the same without it!

Serving Suggestions

Crab Fried Rice should be served with a wedge of lime and slices of cucumber. The lime is meant to be squeezed on top of the rice before eating, to give it a burst of fresh citrus flavor. How much lime you want to add is up to you. The cucumber slices are provided as a palate cleanser or refresher of sorts, something to break the richness of the rice.

The condiment known as Prik Nam Pla is also a must for serving with Crab Fried Rice. This seasoning sauce is composed of sliced Thai chilis (Prik) and fish sauce (Nam Pla). You can also add garlic, shallots, and lime juice to Prik Nam Pla. This concentrated sauce is provided to help boost the flavor of the fried rice. You can add as much or as little as you like, according to your taste preferences.

Storage and Reheating

If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, simply pop the rice in the microwave, sans the lime and cucumber slices.

If you're looking for a quick but flavorful Thai dish, try this Crab Fried Rice. The sweet, succulent pieces of crab combine so nicely with the delicious salty, sour, and peppery flavors of the fried rice. It's a definite winner of a crab dinner!