Ingredients and steps on one page. Print it, or choose “Save as PDF” in the print dialog.
Sekai Gohan
Yeung Chow Fried Rice: Chinese Fried Rice with Char Siu and Shrimp
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Thai jasmine rice, raw | 2 cups (480 ml) | The body of the dish; cooked firm so it separates in the wok |
| Water, for cooking the rice | 1½ cups (360 ml) | A short measure of water that keeps the grains firm |
| Carrots | 2 oz (57 g) | Orange color and sweetness |
| Peas, frozen is fine | 2 oz (57 g) | Green color and sweetness |
| Char siu (叉燒, Chinese roast pork) | 5 oz (142 g) | First protein; sweet roasted flavor and substance |
| Shrimp, peeled | 4 oz (113 g) | Second protein; blanched before frying |
| Eggs | 2 | Egg aroma, left in small pieces between the grains |
| Scallions | 2 | Fresh onion fragrance at the finish |
| Salt, for the eggs | ½ tsp | Seasons the egg |
| Salt, for the rice | ½ tsp | Seasons the rice with the soy sauce |
| Light soy sauce (生抽, sang chau) | 2 tbsp | Saltiness, savoriness and a light tint |
| Oil, for the egg and rice | 1 tbsp | Frying the egg and rice |
| Oil, to finish | 2 tbsp | Gives the rice its gloss |
| Water, for blanching | 2 cups (480 ml) | Blanching the carrots, peas and shrimp |
| Oil, for blanching | 1 tbsp | Goes into the blanching water |
| Salt, for blanching | ½ tsp | Seasons the blanched garnish |
Steps
1Wash the rice and cook it firm
Wash the rice in a bowl three times. Each time, pour off the cloudy, starchy water and add fresh water. Cook it with the measured water in a rice cooker or a pot. The rice is right when each grain is cooked through and firm, with no wet or soggy patches.
2Cut everything to the same size
Dice the carrots and the char siu into medium cubes. Chop the scallions into medium pieces, keeping the white parts and the green parts in separate piles. Halve the shrimp lengthwise, and beat the eggs in a small bowl. You are ready when the carrot, char siu and shrimp pieces are close in size, so they heat evenly and scatter evenly through the rice.
3Blanch the carrots, peas and shrimp
In a medium pot, bring the blanching water with its oil and salt to a boil. Add the carrots and peas and cook for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook everything for 3 minutes. Tip it all into a strainer and drain well once the shrimp have turned pink and opaque and the carrot is bright and tender with a little bite.
4Heat the wok and pour in the egg
Heat the empty wok on high for one minute, then add the oil for the egg and rice. Wait until the oil ripples. Right before frying, mix the salt for the eggs into the beaten egg. Pour the egg in and let it cook for only 10 to 15 seconds, while it is still soft and just starting to set at the edges.
5Fry the rice with the egg
Add the cooked rice to the egg and keep the heat high. Break up the clumps of rice and the egg as you toss, taking your time over it. Fry for 2.5 to 3 minutes. When you hear a steady crackling from the wok, the rice is frying rather than steaming; the grains move loose and separate, and the egg is fully set in small pieces with no wet egg left.
6Season and fry the char siu
Turn the heat down and add the salt for the rice and the light soy sauce, pouring the soy around the hot edge of the wok. Push the rice to the sides to leave the center empty, and drop the char siu into the space. Once it has started to cook, mix it into the rice and keep stir-frying for 1.5 minutes. The char siu is ready when it smells sweet and roasted.
7Add the vegetables, shrimp and finishing oil
Add the blanched vegetables and shrimp and turn the heat back to high. Toss everything together, then drizzle in the finishing oil and keep tossing until the rice glistens. Add the scallions, mix, and take the wok off the heat. Stop while the grains are glossy, the garnish is spread evenly and the scallion greens are still bright.
8Taste and plate
Taste the rice and adjust with a little more salt or light soy sauce if it needs it. Turn it out into a large serving bowl or onto a big platter. Set it in the middle of the table so everyone can take as much as they want. On the plate you should see separate grains with egg, char siu, shrimp, peas and carrot in every spoonful.