Chinese Fried Rice with Shrimp / Prawns Recipe

It takes greater than soy sauce to make a correct Chinese language Fried Rice, identical to what you get at Chinese language eating places. I learnt the way to make correct Chinese language Fried Rice from Australia’s most well-known Chinese language chef, Kylie Kwong!

The very first thing some would possibly discover is that there’s bacon on this Fried Rice. “That’s not genuine!”, you could be considering.

And that’s true. Genuine Chinese language eating places make Fried Rice with Chinese language Sausage. I’m betting that the overwhelming majority of readers have by no means purchased or cooked Chinese language Sausage earlier than.

However you realize what? Kylie Kwong says bacon is okay. Actually, it’s the choice in her recipe to Chinese language Sausage. And as somebody who has purchased, cooked and eaten Chinese language Sausage, I can guarantee you that bacon brings a really comparable salty / oily / meaty pop to fried rice.

And as somebody who has eaten lots of fried rice in her time, right here in Sydney, in China, Hong Kong, the US and London, I also can inform you that I’ve seen a fair proportion of fried rice made with bacon and even with ham!

So this recipe I’ve for you immediately shouldn’t be a lot about precisely what needs to be within the Fried Rice. As a result of even in China, and positively in Chinese language eating places around the globe, it’s clear that there aren’t any exhausting and quick guidelines about what needs to be in a fried rice.

Nevertheless! And there’s a huge “nevertheless”. Whereas I give a lot concession to the additions, the factor you can not skimp on is the sauce! The sauce must be proper – and it isn’t simply soy sauce and chicken broth!

So listed below are my 10 8 commandments for making an excellent (correct!) Fried Rice. (I actually wished to say 10, however I can solely consider 8 key ones.)

1. No chicken broth / inventory. This provides moisture to the rice which fits towards the very core of what the feel of fried rice needs to be. Except you’re attempting to make Stewed Rice, not Fried Rice … 🤔

2. Day previous rice is finest. Fried rice shouldn’t be meant to be sticky and the one method to obtain that’s with cooked rice that’s been refrigerated in a single day. For those who don’t have day previous rice, you’ll be able to cook dinner rice, unfold it on a tray then refrigerate to hurry up the method (about 1 1/2 hours). Or hold baggage of cooked rice within the freezer – that’s what I do!

3. Chinese language cooking wine is vital. It’s the key ingredient that makes this right into a fried rice that actually does style like what you get in eating places.

4. Excessive warmth. Get that wok or skillet stinking scorching and cook dinner it exhausting and quick!

5. Get every little thing ready. When you begin cooking, it comes collectively quick. So have every little thing lined up and able to throw into the wok!

6. Preserve it shifting! Stir fry, stir fry, stir fry! Don’t let your substances sit nonetheless for a second!

7. Don’t overcrowd. Even in a big dwelling wok, 4 cups of rice is the max. Except, as with #1, you are attempting to make Stewed Rice.

8. Char flavour is genuine. Subsequent time you get takeout, discover how the fried rice has a definite delicate char flavour. That’s the actual deal! So don’t stress for those who get burnt bits!

This recipe that I’m sharing with you immediately is how I make it as a typical midweek meal, therefore why it has bacon in it slightly than Chinese language sausage. I swap out the prawns for no matter different proteins I’ve available, or go away it out. I’ve additionally been recognized to extend the veggies on this – and for a brilliant speedy model, to even use frozen diced veggies. For those who considerably improve the veggies, cut back the amount of rice, in any other case there gained’t be sufficient sauce.

Actually, aside from the rice, the cooking approach and the sauce, be at liberty to substitute the opposite substances for no matter you need. That’s the fantastic thing about fried rice – it’s so versatile!

Chinese Fried Rice with Shrimp / Prawns Recipe

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Serves: 3 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 522 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable), separated
• 2 eggs , lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup bacon , excess fat trimmed, chopped (or 1/2 cup Chinese Sausage) (Note 1)
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tsp ginger , minced or very finely chopped
• 1/2 onion , finely chopped (about 3/4 cup) (brown, white or yellow)
• 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (or sake, Japanese cooking wine) (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 5 oz/150g small shrimp/prawns , cooked and peeled (Note 3)
• 3 cups cooked long grain white rice , refrigerated overnight (Note 4)
• 3 scallions , thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light) (Note 3)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil (roasted - i.e. dark colour)

Instructions

1. Mix together Sauce ingredients, set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok (or heavy based skillet/fry pan) over medium heat. Add eggs and cook until scrambled, then remove onto plate.
3. Increase heat to high and add bacon. Cook until golden, then remove onto plate with egg - about 2 minutes.
4. Drain off excess bacon fat.
5. Add remaining 2 tbsp oil, garlic and ginger. (Note 5) Return wok to stove on high heat. Stir fry as it comes up to heat, don’t let it burn. When garlic starts to sizzle, add onion and stir fry for 2 minutes until golden.
6. Add Chinese wine and sugar and let it simmer rapidly, stirring, for 20 seconds, until mostly evaporated.
7. Add prawns/shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute to heat through (if pre-cooked, cook longer to cook if raw).
8. Add rice, Sauce, eggs, bacon and all but 2 tbsp of shallots/scallions. Stir fry for 2 minutes until rice is hot - around 2 minutes.
9. Transfer to serving plate, sprinkle with remaining scallions and serve.

Notes

1. The original recipe uses Chinese Sausage, but Kylie recommends bacon as a substitute and that's what I usually use, though Chinese Sausage is available in vacuum sealed packets in Asian section of large supermarkets. The flavour it adds to the fried rice is very similar.
2. The Chinese cooking wine is key to this recipe. You can substitute with dry sherry for Japanese cooking sake. If you can't consume alcohol, as a last resort, substitute with chicken broth/chicken stock.
3. Ordinarily whenever I cook shrimp/prawns, I use fresh raw ones I peel myself. This is one of the rare occasions when I buy already cooked and peeled prawns - because the best ones to use are small prawns and they are a PAIN to peel myself! Cooked prawns, at least in Australia, from good fish mongers are really great quality because they are often cooked on the fishing boat the minute they are caught. Now THAT's fresh cooking!
4. Please ensure you use day old or at least refrigerator cold freshly cooked rice - this is key! If making this with freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a baking tray then refrigerate until cold.
Long grain rice is the authentic rice to use for fried rice. Medium grain will be ok but will be a bit stickier. Short grain rice, risotto, basmati or jasmine rice are not suitable. Brown rice will be ok but will have a nutty flavour from the rice.
3 cups may not sound like a lot of rice but once you stir fry it, it fluffs up and makes lots more than you expect!
5. You can use light soy sauce or all purpose soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is not suitable for this recipe.
6. This Chinese Fried Rice recipe is based on this recipe by Kylie Kwong, Australia's most well known Chinese Chef. Here are the amendments I made:
i) Scaled the recipe down - her idea of a "large wok" is much larger than mine (about 30cm/1 foot diameter);ii) Her original recipe uses Chinese Sausage and she recommends bacon as a substitute and that's what I usually use, though Chinese Sausage is available in vacuum sealed packets in Asian section of large supermarkets. ii) I added prawns.
7. This makes enough for 3 as a main or 5 as a side as part of a multi-course meal.
8. Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings as a main. Assuming 5 servings as a side: 313 calories.