Craving restaurant-quality shrimp fried rice from the comfort of your own kitchen? Get ready to unlock a surprisingly simple recipe that will have you serving up flavorful, perfectly textured fried rice in minutes.
Prepare to be amazed!
Ingredients
To whip up some Chinese Fried Rice—wait a minute, that's not right! We're making Chinese Ham Rice Soup, also called Congee; my bad! First, you'll need one kilogram—that's 2 lb—of ham bone or hock; trust me, it's important.
Grab 1 1/4 cups of uncooked, long-grain white rice. I know, I know; it sounds simple, but it's the key ingredient! Next, pour in 9 cups of water; that's like 2.25 liters or quarts. Using leftover ham bones is a great way to make the dish and reduce food waste.
For garnishes, get some salt and white pepper; because who doesn't love a little spice? You can add finely sliced green onion; they're not essential, but they look nice. Fried Asian shallots or onions are also great; that's optional – hey, it's your bowl to decorate! A drizzle of sesame oil? Yes, please!
Cooking Instructions
Now, let's explore into the fun part—cooking! Toss that ham bone, uncooked rice, and 9 cups of water into a big pot. Pop the lid on, and let's get cooking.
Got a slow cooker? Eight hours on low will do the trick. Stove? Simmer it on low for almost two hours, stirring now and then. Pressure cooker? 50 minutes on high. Easy peasy! For a quick and simple meal, consider using cooked rice and chicken broth instead of starting from scratch.
Next, fish out the ham and shred the meat. Get rid of the fatty skin—yuck! Toss the good stuff back into the pot, bone included. Ready for round two?
Cook 'til the rice breaks down, making a porridge-like soup—mm, tasty! Remove the bone, stir, and add water if it's too thick. Little salt, dash of pepper. Boom, you're done! Who knew making congee could be this straightforward?
Serving Suggestions
With your congee crafted to creamy perfection, let's talk serving!
I'm a big fan of simplicity. A bowl of steaming congee is fantastic as is, but garnishes? They elevate it! Sprinkle finely sliced green onions generously – they add a vibrant freshness and a pop of color.
Next up, think crunch. Remember, texture is key! Asian fried shallots or onions – store-bought, of course, because I'm all about easy – add the perfect salty, crispy element.
Lastly, a drizzle of sesame oil. Not too much – just a dash! It imparts a nutty aroma – and completes the dish… almost!
Want to go all out? Add a side of stir-fried veggies. I like using stems of Chinese greens, spoon-sized – talk about tasty. I love enjoying this savory dish! 
Recipe Notes
If you're planning on scaling this recipe, it's easy – simply use the recipe scaler and click on "Servings" then slide to adjust based on the weight of your ham bone!
If you're using a leftover ham bone – make sure there's meat on it! It's for flavour, really. Store-bought ham hocks are safer, though – they have plenty of ham and yummy smoked skin. Note: ham hocks are about 60-70% bone and skin.
Congee's usually served with crispy wonton strips. I skip that – store-bought fried shallots or onions add crunch, flavour, and salt!
Make sure the ham bone's mostly underwater – exposed ham equals less flavour if it's not covered! This recipe has lots of ham – some don't! Want less ham? Add 1/4 cup rice and 1 3/4 cups water!
Careful not to over salt, ok? Ham keeps adding salt over time to the broth if the soup is sitting out.
Short Recipe Version
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice, cold
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beaten egg and cook, scrambling, until set. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add remaining vegetable oil to the wok. Add shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add garlic and mixed vegetables to the wok. Cook until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add cooked rice to the wok and stir-fry until heated through.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
- Add cooked shrimp and egg back to the wok. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir-fry until everything is heated through.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 400
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 30g