Aug 13 2009
Shrimp Fried Rice – recipe update
Last year I made a really delicious fried rice from my Taste&Create partner’s blog The CookMobile. Every time I make the recipe I expand it just a little more.
A few months ago I asked my husband to cook it for dinner and he ended up throwing in other ingredients that I hadn’t even thought of adding. The verdict: it tastes even better! So, when I had a chance to make it again, I added his expansions to the recipe. I also used half the shrimp that the recipe calls for since I only had half available, but to make it feel like we still had enough, I cut each piece of shrimp in half and butterflied it. It ended up working really well, and since shrimp is very expensive in the part of the world I live in, I think I will stick to half the amount.
For those of you who would love a quick homemade meal in less than 30 minutes, this is a great recipe for you. Just think, by the time to you drive to a restaurant, wait to be seated, order your food, and finally get to eat, it’s been over an hour. This way you will be done from start to finish (including prep time) in less than 30 minutes. And, the more practice you have with the recipe, the quicker it gets. I can make it in 20 minutes flat!
Oh, and yes, it does taste just as good as take out…in my opinion, even better!
Ingredients:
4 Cups of Cooked Rice (day-old, or made 4 hours ahead of time and spread out on a plate to dry)
5-8 Tablespoons Peanut Oil (or vegetable oil)
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
250 grams raw Shrimp, cut in half and butterflied (optional – it takes more time to cut shrimp butterfly) you can also chose to use smaller shrimp for a similar effect
1 Onion, diced
1 Cups of mixed frozen Peas, defrosted – all liquid drained
2 Cups frozen Broccoli, defrosted – all liquid drained
1/2 Cup sliced Water Chestnuts
2-6 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
Directions:
Have everything prepared ahead of time because this will go fast!
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet or wok until the oil is VERY hot, but not smoking. Fry the egg in the oil, scrambling. Once the egg is cooked, and still moist, remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add 1-2 tablespoons more of oil to the skillet and let it get hot. Cook the shrimp until it’s pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and let get hot. Add the onion and cook until it is tender. Add the defrosted vegetables and water chestnuts to the onion, and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Add the rice to the vegetables and, stirring constantly, cook for 5-7 minutes, making sure to break up any clumps of rice. The rice will have a slightly beige/fried color when this is done.
Return the shrimp to the rice mixture, and combine to reheat.
Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice and mix well so that the soy sauce is evenly distributed. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more to your liking. Some days I like 2-3 tablespoons, other days 6.
Add the scrambled egg to the rice, making sure to break it up into smaller pieces with the spatula and remove from heat.
Serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 main dish servings.
