Shrimp Fried Rice is a mouthwatering way to satisfy your craving for Asian cuisine. Fewer calories, lower cost and so easy to make. Your whole family will love it
It’s no secret that I love Asian cuisine, and I always have. I love the flavors, the variety, and the usually consistent quality. Until a few years ago, Asian restaurants added MSG in the food and you were hungry again about 30 minutes after a meal. Thankfully they no longer do that. Now, the only down side with Asian food from a restaurant is that many dishes are high in calories and sodium.
A few years ago I decided to try my hand at making some of my favorite Asian dishes. I bought the pre-made sauces at the grocery store, but most are still high in sodium. Besides, I never use the entire jar so it always eventually went to waste. Then, with the help of Pinterest, I discovered that most of the sauces are easy to make at home, using ingredients I usually have in my pantry.
Growing up, I always did fried rice as the side at restaurants. Then over time I made the switch to steamed rice for a healthier option. You get way too much rice at restaurants, and my mom always took the extra and made fried rice. I watched her make it a couple of times, and decided to take the plunge myself. One bite, and I couldn’t understand why I waited so long. After I mastered vegetarian, I decided to add protein, with Shrimp Fried Rice
Wow, this Shrimp Fried Rice has so much flavor. The rice is simple to make, and comes together in about 10 minutes.
THE PERFECT SHRIMP FRIED RICE
- Make sure to saute the vegetables well, to develop a deeper flavor. I’ve used Smart Balance, Margarine, and real butter. And yes, butter wins. It has more flavor, and a little goes a long way. For a healthier option, I would recommend Avocado Oil. It has a silky, buttery flavor and a very high smoke point
- I use frozen peas, because I can never find fresh in the grocery store. When fresh corn is in season, I use that; otherwise, I use frozen. I always use fresh carrots, celery and onions. Not sure if garlic is “authentic” in fried rice, but I add garlic to everything
- I use Lite Soy Sauce, because regular has too much sodium for my tastes. I also use Rice Vinegar and Oyster Sauce
- Some people use regular cooked rice, but then it’s not authentic. So I always use sticky rice. I haven’t taken on the challenge of making my own, so whenever I’m craving Shrimp Fried Rice I pick some up at one of our local restaurants
- Make sure you use cold rice. It warms quickly when it’s in the skillet, and it just works better for fried rice
HOW TO GET THE BEAUTIFUL, GOLDEN COLOR ON THE SHRIMP
The biggest challenge I have with this Shrimp Fried Rice is the shrimp itself. Like many of my recipes, I had to fail several times before I got it right
- Don’t skimp on the cornstarch and flour, or the seasoning blend won’t stick well and the shrimp will look like plain grilled shrimp
- Don’t go overboard on the flour, or you will taste the flour. And that’s not a good flavor
- Shrimp cooks very quickly, 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the size. It’s always better to remove the shrimp a few seconds early
I’ve improved the shrimp significantly with practice: lightly dredge the shrimp, shake off the excess, and make sure the oil in the pan is hot enough.
I’ve used both fresh and frozen shrimp for this Shrimp Fried Rice. Unfortunately I don’t have convenient access to good fresh shrimp, so I usually use frozen and it works perfectly. The size of shrimp is really up to you. I normally use XL (25-30 count) or Large (31-35 count). Just remember, the smaller the shrimp, the faster they cook.
Shrimp Fried Rice is definitely part of my regular recipe rotation. But I do need to branch out and try it with other types of protein.
Recipe adapted from Creole Contessa
SHOP THIS RECIPE
Shrimp Fried Rice
- 1 pound large/jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use 26-30 count)
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 cup cooked Chinese rice, cold
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 Tablespoon Avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 spring onions, chopped
SEASONING BLEND
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
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Add creole seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and paprika in a small bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour and cornstarch.
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Dip shrimp into cornstarch and flour mixture, and shake off excess. Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons of seasoning mixture, and set aside
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Melt 1/2 Tablespoon butter in large skillet. Add eggs to skillet and scramble. Remove eggs and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
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Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and saute for 3-4 minuets, until soft. Add corn, peas and garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes.
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Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, fresh ginger, remaining seasoning and scrambled egg. Combine well, until rice is warmed through. Turn heat to low.
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In separate pan, add remaining butter plus oil, and melt butter over medium heat.
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Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook shrimp approximately 2 minutes per side. Shrimp will overcook very quickly, so keep an eye on it! It’s time to turn the shrimp when it begins to curl up from the bottom
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Add shrimp to rice mixture, and combine well. Top with spring onions, and serve
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