This tom yum fried rice is packed full of flavors and utterly delicious ! Super easy to make, happens to be vegan & can be made gluten-free.
Ever wonder what you can do with tom yum paste ? Well, I am here to tell you that they work really well in fried rice ! This super quick and easy to make tom yum fried rice is the perfect quick meal to have on busy weeknights.
Like my green curry fried rice and broccoli rice casserole, this vegan fried rice is a really great way to use up leftover cooked rice ! But if you do not have any on hand, no worries as instructions on using freshly cooked rice will also be provided below. 😉
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🧄What you will need
📓Notes / Substitutions
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce or replace it with equal amounts of tamari.
- Make this tom yum fried rice oil-free by using ¼ cup of water or broth to saute instead of oil.
- Do use vegan tom yum paste to make this vegan.
- Both brown and white rice can be used in this recipe. It is not recommended to use short grain rice as they tends to be sticky and will clump together.
- It is highly recommended to use rice that has been refrigerated overnight. But if you do not have any, don't worry ! Simply cook rice according to package instructions, then spread them out evenly on a tray. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
- You can substitute any suitable veggies in place of what this recipe calls for.
- If you are sensitive to heat, omit Thai red chili.
🔪How to make
Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan on medium high heat. Start by sauteing garlic, chili and kaffir lime leaves for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Next, stir in tom yum paste and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Add in the carrot next. Cook until they have slightly softened, for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Then , add in rice, peas and soy sauce. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly heated.
Stir in chopped green onions and enjoy !
🍽How to serve
- Pair them with some crispy gochujang tofu to make it a more filling meal.
- They will go really well with curries like this Thai red curry.
- Or, serve them up with some Chinese seitan stir-fry.
- They will also pair well with curry tofu scramble.
- Lastly, I absolutely love pairing this tom yum fried rice with some vegan dumplings !
❔Commonly asked questions
If you really cant find tom yum paste, the next best alternative is red curry paste. You might want to add some lime or lemon juice to give it that distinctive zing that most tom yum paste have.
Please take note that most tom yum paste are not vegan, as shrimp paste and / or fish sauce are oftentimes added. Do turn and read the ingredient label to ensure that it does not contain any animal products.
If you cant find any in store, you can try getting them off online retailers like Amazon ( Love this Mekhala brand ones ).
The best solution to keep your tom yum fried rice from clumping together is to use day old leftover steamed rice. Excess moisture in rice will dry up after sitting in the fridge for a while, yielding firmer rice that can be separated from each other easily.
Other than that, make sure that medium grain or long grain rice are used as opposed to short grain rice. Short grain rice are more sticky and mushy in nature, which makes them unsuitable for making fried rice, unless you like clumpy fried rice !
Most sturdier veggies like corn kernels, bell peppers, onions, zucchini and shredded cabbage works well in this tom yum fried rice. Frozen vegetable mix can also be used to make this dish quicker and easier. Greens, although uncommon, can also be added to it.
🍚More recipes using leftover rice
- Asian Brown Rice Salad
- Thai Green Curry Fried Rice
- Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Vegan Black Beans and Rice
If you did make this recipe, it will be awesome if you would leave a rating and review in the comments ! Do tag me on instagram @myplantifulcooking, I would really love to see your recreations. 🙂
📖 Recipe
Tom Yum Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 kaffir lime leaves roughly chopped
- 2 Thai red chili sliced
- 1 tablespoon tom yum paste
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 2 cup cooked brown / white rice ( refrigerated overnight ) **
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 stalk green onion chopped
- lime juice to serve
Instructions
- Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan on medium high heat. Start by sauteing garlic, chili and kaffir lime leaves for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Next, stir in tom yum paste and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add in the carrot next. Cook until they have slightly softened, for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Now, add in rice, peas and soy sauce. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly heated. Give it a taste and add more soy sauce, if needed.
- Stir in chopped green onions, squeeze in some lime juice and enjoy !
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