Khao Pad

Thai fried rice: jasmine rice stir-fried over fierce heat with egg, fish sauce, oyster sauce and lime, garnished with cucumber, spring onion and a wedge of fresh lime. Simpler and lighter than its Indonesian cousin nasi goreng, khao pad lets the fragrance of jasmine rice lead. It is Thailand's definitive everyday rice dish.

Origin: Bangkok & Central Thailand

From the journey of Rice.

Fried rice arrived in Thailand with Chinese immigrants, particularly the Teochew community who settled in Bangkok from the 18th century onward. Thai cooks adapted it using local jasmine rice and the dominant Thai flavourings, fish sauce, lime and fresh aromatics, creating a distinctly lighter, more fragrant dish than Chinese versions. Today khao pad is the rice dish that every Thai cook knows by heart; sold at every street stall, made in every home, ordered as the benchmark dish in any Thai restaurant.

Ingredients

  • 400 g cooked jasmine rice, day-old and cold
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 Spring onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 0.5 tsp white sugar
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 fresh lime, cut into wedges
  • half, to serve Cucumber, sliced
  • small bunch, to serve Fresh coriander

Method

  1. Heat a wok over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
  2. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant but not coloured.
  3. Push the garlic to the side, crack in the eggs and scramble briefly until just set but still glossy.
  4. Add the cold rice immediately, breaking up any clumps. Toss and press against the wok over high heat for 2 minutes, letting the rice toast and fry in patches.
  5. Add fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Toss to coat every grain evenly.
  6. Add the white parts of the spring onions and toss for 30 seconds more.
  7. Remove from heat. Plate and top with the green spring onion tops. Serve with cucumber slices, lime wedge and fresh coriander. A little extra fish sauce on the table is essential.
The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

Mapping Culinary History

To explore — select an ingredient below.

Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
© 2026 The Gastrographer. All original research, narratives, and illustrations. All rights reserved.