Yangzhou Fried Rice (扬州炒饭)

扬州炒饭

Golden, fluffy grains with shrimp, char siu and egg — this Yangzhou Fried Rice turns day-old rice into a 25-minute weeknight favourite.

Ingredients

• day-old cold cooked jasmine rice
• raw shrimp, peeled & deveined, chopped coarse
• char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), diced 1 cm
• eggs, beaten
• frozen peas
• carrot, finely diced
• scallions, chopped white & green separated
• light soy sauce
• toasted sesame oil
• neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
• white pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. Prep everything first: dice char siu, chop shrimp coarse, dice carrot small, separate scallion whites from greens, beat eggs with salt, thaw peas under warm water. Mise en place is everything for fried rice.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Pour in beaten eggs, let them set 10 seconds at the bottom, then gently push with spatula so uncooked egg flows to the pan surface. Cook until just set in soft curds, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate.
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Toss in shrimp and char siu. Stir-fry 1 minute until shrimp turn opaque on the outside.
4. Push protein to one side. Add carrot and peas to the empty side; stir-fry 30 seconds. Then fold everything together.
5. Add the cold rice. Break up any clumps with spatula. Press rice against the wok side for 10 seconds to toast, then toss. Repeat until every grain is separate and glossy — about 2 minutes.
6. Return the scrambled eggs. Add soy sauce along the hot wok side (let it sizzle 5 seconds), then fold everything through. Add white scallion parts, toss 15 seconds.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in sesame oil and green scallion parts. Taste and adjust salt or white pepper if needed. Serve immediately.