Shrimp Fried Rice

Here’ what I said about this dish back in 2010:

Yesterday Sis bought soup from a Thai take-out place. Interestingly, the soup came with rice. Because day-old rice is the best kind of rice to use in fried-rice, I decided fried rice was in order for dinner tonight. I suggested turkey fried rice because we still have more turkey in the freezer, but Sis vetoed it. She’s all turkey-ed out. Instead she picked up frozen cooked shrimp from Trader Joe’s and we made shrimp fried rice instead.

The first time I made this, I had a bit of difficulty with this recipe. Both Sis and I were in the kitchen and it’s tiny. She was sauteing tofu to add to her dish. Also, the pan we used wasn’t non-stick. I would highly suggest using non-stick but Sis doesn’t have one that’s big enough. The ingredients kept sticking to the pan, so I kept adding olive oil. As such, the rice turned out a bit soggy. The flavor of the dish was good, but I would have liked the rice to be a bit more fried (or crisp). I had to add a bit of salt and more crushed red chili flakes to the dish because I like my food both salty and spicy.

In recreating this a second time in 2010, it turned out much better. I used a non-stick wok and went with more traditional ingredients. What I like about fried rice or stir-fry in general is that you can add any veggie that you like or need to use up.

ingredients.

• ⅓ lb. frozen cooked shrimp
• 2 c. day-old jasmine rice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. soy sauce (or more if desired)
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped or sliced (optional)
• ½ c. frozen peas
• ½ c. julienned carrots
• ½ c. frozen corn kernels (optional)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• two cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. crushed red chili flakes (optional)
• Sriracha sauce (optional)

directions.

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions, garlic, veggies, and chili flakes (if using) and saute until onions become slightly opaque and mushrooms if using, have started to shrink slightly.
3. Add the rice and fry for a minute.
4. Push the rice mixture to the sides of the skillet or wok to make room for the egg and add the beaten egg.
5. Scramble the egg until just set, then stir the scrambles eggs into the rice mixture.
6. Add thawed cooked shrimp and soy sauce.
7. Stir fry for another minute.
8. Season with additional soy sauce and/or Sriracha sauce, as needed.

*Note: If using fresh shrimp, cook the shrimp first, remove from pan and then follow the above directions.

Recipe rating: 