Asian
Chilli and garlic fried rice with vannamei prawns
Fried rice with vannamei prawns, egg, carrot and onion, seasoned with garlic, soy sauce and crispy chilli oil. A flavourful dinner for two.
Asian-inspired2 servings
Preparation 15 minCooking 30 min
About 45 minutes altogether, plus rice chilling and any prawn thawing time. Cooking time includes cooking the rice. With cooked, chilled rice ready, the dish takes about 25–30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 18 peeled vannamei prawns, raw or cooked (see instructions)
- 150 ml uncooked jasmine or basmati rice
- Water for the rice as directed on the packet, usually about 300 ml
- 2 eggs
- 1 carrot, about 100 g
- 1 small onion or ½ a medium onion, about 60 g
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- 1½ tbsp Chinese soy sauce, added to taste
- 1 tsp crispy chilli oil
- 1 tsp honey or granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 0–⅛ tsp salt, only if needed after tasting
Chinese soy sauce can be dark and salty, so start with a little less and adjust to taste. Prawns must be cooked through, but need only brief reheating once cooked. Photo: the Lundin family, surroundings edited.
Method
- Cook the rice according to the packet earlier in the day or the day before. Spread the cooked rice in a thin layer in a shallow container, cool quickly and refrigerate as soon as possible. Keep chilled at about 4°C until frying. Do not leave it at room temperature for hours.
- Thaw the prawns in the fridge if needed and pat dry. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Cut the carrot into very small dice or thin strips. Break up any clumps in the chilled rice.
- If using raw prawns, heat half the oil in a large frying pan and cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, depending on size, until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. If using cooked prawns, leave them until the final step.
- Heat the remaining oil, or all of it if using cooked prawns. Fry the carrot and onion over medium-high to high heat for about 3–4 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds without burning it.
- Push the vegetables to one side. Crack the eggs into the cleared area and stir for about 1–2 minutes until just set. Mix with the vegetables.
- Add the chilled rice and stir-fry over fairly high heat for about 3–4 minutes until piping hot. Stir in 1 tbsp soy sauce, crispy chilli oil, honey or sugar and black pepper. Add the remaining ½ tbsp soy sauce to taste, especially if using a strong dark soy sauce.
- Add the cooked or freshly fried prawns and toss for about 1–2 minutes until hot. Taste and add salt if needed and a little extra black pepper. Serve immediately.