Thai Basil Fried Rice

Name: Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 8 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 to 5 garlic cloves; 1 to 5 Thai chili to your taste; 1 medium shallot; 2 tbsp oyster sauce (you can substitute with vegetarian oyster sauce); 1tbsp fish sauce (you can substitute with Thai light soy sauce); 1 tbsp palm sugar or honey; 1/4 tsp black or white pepper; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 12 oz 16/20 extra jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined; 2 eggs; 2 1/2 cups day-old cold jasmine rice; handful holy basil, Thai basil or Italian basil

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This Thai basil fried rice combines jumbo shrimp with fragrant garlic, fresh chilies, and a balanced blend of oyster sauce and palm sugar for an authentic, restaurant-quality dish that cooks in minutes.

Total

8 min

Servings

4

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Seonkyounglongest · by Seonkyoung Longest

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Pound garlic and thai cili together in a mortar and pestle. This way the natural oil form chili and garlic will be release and will make the fried rice more fragrance. You could carefully smash with knife and chop if you don’t have mortar and pestle. Set aside. Slice shallot and set aside along with garlic and chili.
2
Mix oyster sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and pepper in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
3
Heat a large skillet or a wok over high heat until smoking. Add butter, garlic, chili shallot and shrimp. Stir fry everything and cook the shrimp 1 minute each side, then mix everything in the wok and push to a side of the wok.
4
Crack 2 eggs in the wok. Let the eggs cook a bit then scramble the eggs. When eggs are cooked but still silky, toss everything together.
5
Add cold rice and pour sauce mixture. Toss everything together until rice is coated evenly with the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes.
6
Toss in basil and turn off the heat. Keep tossing until basil is well combined with the fried rice.
7
Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy when it’s hot!

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use day-old, refrigerated rice broken into individual grains—fresh rice will clump and create a mushy texture instead of the desired separation.
Cook shrimp separately until just opaque (1–2 minutes per side for jumbo), then set aside and add back at the end to avoid overcooking.
Infuse the butter with minced garlic and chilies first, then add rice to coat and absorb the aromatics before adding shrimp and sauce.
Taste and balance as you go: if too salty, add a touch more palm sugar; if too sweet, a squeeze of lime brightens and balances the dish.

Substitutions

Fish sauce → Thai light soy sauce (use equal amount; flavor becomes slightly less umami but remains authentic)
Oyster sauce → vegetarian oyster sauce or mushroom-based sauce (1:1 ratio; maintains body and depth)
Palm sugar → honey or brown sugar (1:1 ratio; honey is slightly sweeter, adjust to taste)
Jumbo shrimp → medium shrimp, chicken, or tofu (adjust cooking time; shrimp takes 1–2 minutes, chicken 5–7 minutes)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water or stock to restore moisture.

Common Questions

Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes. Substitute the shrimp with tofu or mushrooms, replace fish sauce with Thai light soy sauce (or tamari), and use vegetarian oyster sauce. The flavor profile remains authentic.

What type of basil should I use?

Thai basil (bai horapha) is ideal for its licorice-like notes. If unavailable, sweet basil is acceptable but lacks the same aromatic complexity.

Can I prepare ingredients ahead?

Yes. Mince garlic and shallots, slice chilies, and measure sauces up to 4 hours ahead. Keep shrimp refrigerated. Cook the fried rice fresh to maintain texture.