Khao Phat or Thai Fried Rice

The Story:   

My wife Kourtney is a huge Thai fan, as am I, and when we lived back in Chicago she went nuts over two versions of this dish at different restaurants. There are variations of this dish for all tastes and preferences but this recipe is a fairly simple easy to make one. The largest difference between Thai fried rice and fried rice you get at a Chinese place is that it is both sweeter and spicier than the soy heavy version of buffet fame. My recipe utilizes a rice cooker to do most of trickier part of the dish. By cooking the rice in a spiced broth the flavor penetrates deeper and creates a more powerful taste in the final dish.

Ingredients:
Rice Cooker:

1.5-2 cups of uncooked rice
3 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 Tsp of red curry paste
1/2 tsp of ginger
1/2 tsp of basil
1/2 tsp of lemon grass
1/3 tsp of tamarind paste
1/2 tsp of fresh garlic
Wok:
3 TBS of a flavorless frying oil
2/3 cup of shredded carrot
5-6 scallion stalks diced
1/2 cup of shredded red cabbage
1/2 package of cubed extra firm tofu
1/3 cup of sugar
3 TBS of soy sauce
Sirriacha to taste

Place all ingredients listed under the rice cooker in the rice cooker. The liquid amount might differ from rice cooker to rice cooker but a good rule of thumb is that the water should reach up to your first knuckle on your pointer finger while the tip is touching the top of the rice. Add all the ingredients in the cooker, stir thoroughly and then leave alone to cook properly. It should take about 15 minutes or so to cook but once its done fluff it and let it sit a bit longer. After the rice has finished heat the wok up to a med to high temperature and place 2 TBS of the oil in the pan. The carrot and tofu go in first. Before the tofu goes in try to make sure that as much moisture is pressed from it as possible. Stir often and let the tofu cook up to a golden brown. Add the rice to the wok and add the remainder of the oil. Stir the rice till it is well coated in oil, and then add the sugar, soy sauce, and half of cabbage. Continue to stir the rice for another 3-5 minutes letting it fry in oil. To finish the dish add the diced scallion and the remainder cabbage. Serve immediately.