Fried Rice with Prawn and Bacon

Fried rice is a comfort dish to have up your sleeve for nights when cooking feels a little beyond you, but you really want something tasty and satisfying. It's got a delicious salty umami flavour profile, but also packed with vegetables and protein so you can eat it knowing you are getting a range of nutrients in.

The great thing about this Fried Rice recipe is it can also be a bit of a pantry meal - you're likely to have some of the core ingredients at home, like rice, eggs, sauces, and frozen peas and corn in your freezer. And it's easy to swap things in or out, so it's great for using up leftovers and being able to put something substantial on the table with little fuss.

Ingredients to make Fried Rice

The wonderful thing about Fried Rice is that it truly is one of those recipes that can be your go to when you need to use up some leftover ingredients in your fridge and pantry, so feel free to use the ingredients as more of a guide than gospel.

The most important ingredients to get right are the sauces, so follow the ratios below and you'll be on the right track!

• Sauce - To make Fried Rice I always use a sauce made by combining
  • 3 tablespoon of Light Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp of Oyster Sauce (you can use Vegetarian Oyster sauce substitutes if you prefer)
  • 1 tbsp of Sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing Wine (Chinese Cooking wine) - this gives an extra depth of flavour and makes it taste more like what you'd taste in a Chinese restaurant.

• Rice - Conventional wisdom is to use leftover, day old rice. If you, like me, are making this recipe from scratch, you can use Microwave rice (instant rice).
• Vegetable oil - use vegetable oil or peanut oil because they both have a fairly high smoke point and are great neutral oils for frying.
• Bacon - Start with a little bacon - streaky bacon is best because you get better flavour, and this will give our pan a dish a great base.
• Prawns (Shrimp) - Prawns are a great addition to this dish because they're juicy and full of flavour, but you can use any protein you like, like chicken or beef. You can also swap prawns out for leftover chicken, pork or meat that you need to use up.
• Eggs - even more protein to make this dinner really satisfying, we'll whisk eggs up and scramble them in the bacon fat, before mixing them through the rice. The eggs will absorb a lot of the flavour from the sauce and will be your favourite bursts of flavour.
• Vegetables - For texture, colour, and easy nutrients, we've got a cup of frozen baby peas and a cup of frozen corn kernels. We can't forget about the garlic and brown Onion to add some savoury depth of flavour. Half a bunch of fresh green onion (scallions) and if you're feeling adventurous, a long red chilli to add some heat.
• Chilli oil - This is my favourite way to finish most Asian dishes, and Fried rice is no exception. The best chilli oil out there is Lao Gan Ma Crispy Chilli Oil.

How to make Fried Rice at home

To start, slice your green onions finely on an angle, along with your bacon and chilli (if using). Measure out your peas and corn, and mince your garlic. Dice your onion and mix together your light soy sauce, Oyster sauce, Sesame oil and Shaoxing wine to make a delicious sauce.

Next, whisk your egg and place a wok or large frying pan on high heat. Add oil and cook your bacon for 2 minutes, then add your brown onion and sauté until translucent. Add your prawns and cook in a single layer without touching. Once they start to turn pink at the edges (about 1-2 minutes), turn and cook for 1 minute more.

Push your prawn and bacon to the side, then add your egg. Once it starts to set, stir through the prawn and bacon mixture. Scrunch your rice packet to break it up, then empty the rice, garlic, peas and corn into the pan. Add your sauce and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.

To serve, remove from the heat and toss through most of your green onion. Top with remaining green onion, chilli (if using) and chilli oil (if using). Your Fried Rice is now ready to be enjoyed!

This recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will leave satisfied. Don't be afraid to get creative with your protein choices, and feel free to add any other veggies you have on hand. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you'll be making it again and again.

Substitutions you can use when making Fried Rice

• Alternative proteins - get creative with this recipe. You can easily swap out bacon for any type of fattier protein, and prawns for a leaner white protein.
• Vegetarian - To make this vegetarian, skip the bacon and prawns, and use vegetarian oyster sauce. I like to use a little more sesame oil to start the dish in place of bacon, and you can use fried tofu pieces instead of prawn.
• Dairy Free - This recipe is dairy free.
• Gluten Free - Swap soy sauce for tamari to make this recipe gluten free.

Optional Add-ins

• You can add in other vegetables like diced carrot, capsicum, or other vegetables you may need to use up.
• You can also use other proteins you may need to use up.

Kid-Friendly Variations of Fried Rice

• Skip the chilli oil and chilli on your child's plate, and don't add the green onion.

Equipment

You will need a wok or frying pan, a stovetop.

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