Pineapple Rice Bake for Chinese New Year Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 cup Thai jasmine rice
• ¾ cup water
• 1 pineapple
• ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 link Chinese sausage, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup finely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ cup green peas
• ¼ cup corn

Step 1

Rins the jasmine rice and cooking it in your rice cooker with the right amount of water, following the usual instructions—it should take about 15 to 20 minutes. While the rice cooks, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin layer attached to the skin so the 'bowls' hold their shape. Chop about half a cup of the pineapple flesh and set it aside in a bowl; save the rest for another use. Place the hollowed pineapple halves on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven for around 5 minutes, just until they smell nice and fragrant, then take them out.

Step 2

Now crank the oven up to 350°F (175°C). In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat, then pour in beaten eggs. Cook them gently until they're fully set, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate and chop into small pieces. Fluff the cooked rice with a paddle or fork to loosen it up. In a separate dry skillet, cook the Chinese sausage slices over medium heat until the fat renders and the sausage is nicely browned—about 5 minutes. Scoop the sausage out, but keep the rendered fat in the pan.

Step 3

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the sausage fat and heat it up until you can feel the heat coming off the pan. Toss in the carrots and stir for a minute, then add the onion, peas, and corn. Keep stir-frying until the onions soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add half the rice first and mix well, then fold in the rest. Stir in the chopped eggs, cooked sausage, and pineapple pieces, making sure everything is evenly combined.

Step 4

Spoon the fried rice mixture into the pineapple shells, cover them loosely with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, just until everything is warmed through. Serve and enjoy!