American Fried Rice - WTF?!!!

[zaphodbeeblebrox 0]

I recently had a hospitalization with lengthy bed-ridden recovery that limited my gastronomical options. (I will provide more info in my ongoing trip report, when the time is right).

 

I came across several take-out menus that offer "American fried rice". I had never heard of this creation before.

 

Well, the Thai name is Khaaw Pad American (or Khao Phat Amerigan). The closest thing I had eaten to this dish was Spanish rice, but this Thai version was sweeter. Apparently, this dish was created by Thai chefs during the Vietnam War, because these creative chefs thought it incorporated ingredients liked by the Yanks (ketchup, hot dogs and raisins).

 

 

It is often served with some fried chicken and a fried egg. You cook the fried chicken, the hot dogs, the egg in oil, add onions and cold rice to the oil, then in goes a ketchup-soy sauce mixture, then raisins, pineapple, ham and/or tomato.

 

Personally, I prefer Chinese and Thai fried rice, but this dish has an interesting history. Only recently, has the dish appeared on some menus in the U.S.

B Fried Rice Restaurant

Sukho Thai Restaurant

Edited February 17, 2008 by zaphodbeeblebrox

[Samsonite 181]

I've wondered about that as I've never seen anything like it in The States.

:)

[aussiechic 209]

Young newbie last year thats was his favirote dish while we were there.

I order it at the Sanctuary of Truth it was a very filling meal.

[Sailfast 503]

Nothing beats the "American Pizza" I ate in Darlington, UK.

Cardboard crust topped with friggen chicken, corn and red sauce so sweet I don't know how they managed to keep it red....lol

 

The Darlington locals thought for sure that is what we ate "over there". Granted I don't think they get out much in Darlington

 

It's funny how American "Chinese food" differs so much from the "Chinese food" in other countries and how far it all is from anything I have found in Asia.

 

Same same "Thai food" in the USA.

 

I can't imagine what they really eat in India

[BigDUSA 71]

Nothing beats the "American Pizza" I ate in Darlington, UK.

Cardboard crust topped with friggen chicken, corn and red sauce so sweet I don't know how they managed to keep it red....lol

 

The Darlington locals thought for sure that is what we ate "over there". Granted I don't think they get out much in Darlington

 

It's funny how American "Chinese food" differs so much from the "Chinese food" in other countries and how far it all is from anything I have found in Asia.

 

Same same "Thai food" in the USA.

 

I can't imagine what they really eat in India

 

When you go into a ethnic restaurant ask them to cook the food the way they eat it. Interesting combination of flavors.

 

When I was stationed in Vietnam, American rice was priced cheaper then Vietnamese rice. According to the locals our rice tasted different from the local rice and they didn't like it. I never could taste any difference.

Edited February 17, 2008 by BigDUSA

[python 27]

I have had this before in both LoS & Europe. Tasted good to me.

 

By the same token, English or European breakfast ok, is anything else not simply breakfast? Whats an American Breakfast? Is it just a take on the English breakfast?

 

Regards,

[BigDUSA 71]

I had a typical American breakfast this morning. I had a small apple juice, coffee, two eggs, three sausages, fried potatoes and two slices of rye toast. I paid $4.50 including tax, tip was extra.

[CalEden 360]

I first saw this American Rice at the National Museum in BKK. Intrigued so tried it and promptly came down with travelers diarrhea. Could not leave the toilet for 3 days. Had been to Asia many times before and the "American Rice" caused my first case of travelers distress.

[zaphodbeeblebrox 0]

I had a typical American breakfast this morning. I had a small apple juice, coffee, two eggs, three sausages, fried potatoes and two slices of rye toast. I paid $4.50 including tax, tip was extra.

 

That sounds fantastic. I've been on a diet, so I have pretty much cut out bacon and sausages. I have to admit that British bacon and bangers are better than Farmer John's. However, blood sausage and baked beans for breakfast curdles my stomach. Villa Market is the only market in Pattaya where I've found rye bread, my favorite. I can't wait until I have more mobility and can suffer the 1 hour drive to Pattaya.

[plahgat 523]

Kiss, Food & Drink on Second Road makes a pretty tasty Fried Rice American at 65 baht it's a filling breakfast!

 

Plahgat

Edited February 20, 2008 by plahgat

[capdagde 1,954]

Nothing beats the "American Pizza" I ate in Darlington, UK.

Cardboard crust topped with friggen chicken, corn and red sauce so sweet I don't know how they managed to keep it red....lol

 

The Darlington locals thought for sure that is what we ate "over there". Granted I don't think they get out much in Darlington

 

It's funny how American "Chinese food" differs so much from the "Chinese food" in other countries and how far it all is from anything I have found in Asia.

 

Same same "Thai food" in the USA.

 

I can't imagine what they really eat in India

 

WTF were you doing in my home town Sailfast? BTW I couldn't wait to get out either.....

 

Andy Cap

[Ergodyne 19]

"I can't imagine what they really eat in India"

 

A friend of mine who had a few Indian restaurants taught me about Indian food, the menu should only be a guide, dishes can be mixed and any dish should be available at any strength, Korma, madras, vindaloo. if they say that can't be done then they have pre - prepared dishes and are not actually cooking it. My favourite was chicken bhuna madras, not normally on a menu as it's a combination of variations.

The reason the same dish can vary so much between restaurants depends on where the chef comes from. One other thing he told me was that the "Phal" (hottest possible) was actually a piss take on the foriegners asking for HOT curries so they invented an extreme version almost as a joke.

Edited April 23, 2008 by Graham Sears

[sick buffalo 15]

American friend rice is any fried rice with tomato sauce (ketchep) in it. There is also an American Chop Suey (vis-a-vis Chinese Chop Suey)! You will get both dishes in many Chinese restaurants in India...

Edited April 23, 2008 by sick buffalo

[Sailfast 503]

WTF were you doing in my home town Sailfast? BTW I couldn't wait to get out either.....

 

Andy Cap

 

 

 

I stayed there for a couple of months. I worked for a hotel co. in Florida that did business with Airtours and met a tall brunette from Darlington named Angie who was the Airtours rep...memories... It's a long story and thank god I'm still single Back in the day she was hot! Now she's probablly not

 

 

 

Lovely people up that way, but a bit boring.

[joekicker 53]

Buffalo, American fried rice has ketchup, but it's not quite "any fried rice". It has to have a fried egg,it has to have a ham slice and it has to have a chicken part at the very bare minimum to be American Fried Rice. It is a full-on Thai food now, accepted everywhere in Thai restaurants worldwide.

 

Chop suey was invented in San Francisco and around the 1960s was imported by Hong Kong. It has spread a bit since then but you don't get it in many places.

[zaphodbeeblebrox 0]

Chop suey was invented in San Francisco and around the 1960s was imported by Hong Kong. It has spread a bit since then but you don't get it in many places.

 

It was probably invented in the 1880's in New York City by Chinese migrant railworkers. Chop suey is a stir-fried mix of chicken or beef, with an assortment of vegetables that are laying around, commonly bean sprouts, in a soy based sauce thickened with corn starch.

 

"During his exile in the United States, Liang Qichao, a Guangdong native, wrote in 1903 that there existed in the United States a food item called chop suey which was popularly served by Chinese restaurateurs, but which local Chinese people did not eat." It could have been invented anywhere in the U.S., but it certainly was a restaurant dish well before the 1960's, although that perhaps is when it made its way back to China. Other cuisines, like Filipino, have their unique version of the dish.

Edited April 24, 2008 by zaphodbeeblebrox

[joekicker 53]

It was probably invented in the 1880's in New York City by Chinese migrant railworkers. Chop suey is a stir-fried mix of chicken or beef, with an assortment of vegetables that are laying around, commonly bean sprouts, in a soy based sauce thickened with corn starch.

 

I'll take that answer for three points and a bonus for knowing it's leftovers.

 

Please select the next category.

 

Actually, though, I know that American Fried Rice was invented much the same way, near the gate of Takhli Airbase, and served to a couple of airmen returning from town. The guy (it was a man) threw together leftovers, which is why the hot dogs and chicken combination - and added the ketchup as a "well they're Americans" moment.

 

Little did he know there is a country where people walk upside down where "tomato sauce" could fittingly be called Australian nam pla. I've never seen a country that uses more of it per capita.

 

 

It could have been invented anywhere in the U.S., but it certainly was a restaurant dish well before the 1960's, although that perhaps is when it made its way back to China.

 

Yes, I think you read that wrong. Chop suey was certainly in the US in the 19th century, but I think it went "back" to "China" (Hong Kong) in the 1960s, and probably Americans took it there, too,, rather than Chinese.

[sick buffalo 15]

Buffalo, American fried rice has ketchup, but it's not quite "any fried rice". It has to have a fried egg,it has to have a ham slice and it has to have a chicken part at the very bare minimum to be American Fried Rice. It is a full-on Thai food now, accepted everywhere in Thai restaurants worldwide.

 

 

The one that I have had (maybe 10-12 times at different places) always had egg but never ham. Infact here you can order American fried rice with chicken, prawn, pork or even mixed meat and seafood. Chicken is not a must...

 

But then I am talking of another country altogether. There's so much of variety and local falvoring in chinese food these days...

 

The best chinese food I have had was in Desseldorf, Germany! And no, I haven't been to China yet...

Edited April 24, 2008 by sick buffalo

[monochromeman 41]

My local Chinese (London SE) does American Fried Rice as do all Chinese in UK seemingly. Seems to be fried rice with unknown pieces of meat thrown in. Whatever's left over I guess

[mister_ed 0]

very popular in LOS, my bird always orders it.

[probe 11]

When I was stationed in Vietnam, American rice was priced cheaper then Vietnamese rice. According to the locals our rice tasted different from the local rice and they didn't like it. I never could taste any difference.

 

My understanding was that the issue (or one of the issues) was that the Viets grew and ate short grain rice, while we shipped them long grain rice. Interestingly...they didn't like it even when it was free. They would use it to feed the animals with.

 

Ketchup and hot dogs in fried rice? ACK!!! Sounds like it should be on the kid's menu.

[short 215]

No American slices hotdogs into flower shapes because hot dogs are made from the left over remnants of the beef factory. No American uses itsy bitsy tomatoes as a danish. And no American makes eggs in round hoops.

 

 

This is BS.

[joekicker 53]

No American slices hotdogs into flower shapes because hot dogs are made from the left over remnants of the beef factory.

 

Cut one of your gristle-dogs in half - or better still, in three. Drop the sections into boiling oil. See what happens to the end(s) you cut, without any other action on your part.

 

This is BS.

 

In what way? You mean American Fried Rice doesn't exist? Or do you mean fortune cookies and chop suey really come from China?

[chuckrivera 1]

no American makes eggs in round hoops.

 

What? You've never had an Egg McMuffin? Looks like an egg from a round hoop to me.

[CalEden 360]

Walked past a Chinese restaurant that had "Thai fried rice" on the menu (in US).