This Shrimp and Sweet Pea Shoots Fried Rice is the ultimate easy one-pot meal: proteins, veggies, and grains all thrown together and cooked in a matter of mere minutes. This one tastes better than take-out!!
Fried rice has been a favorite of mine since I was little. My parents used to order take-out from a nearby Chinese food restaurant at least twice a month. I have kept that “tradition” in my adult life. You know, after a busy week of cooking and testing recipes, take-out is perfect for a leisurely Sunday evening.
We have tried many restaurants and our favorite is P.F. Chang. But in the past couple of times, I haven’t felt good after eating there. I mean. It’s not like I got sick or something like that. It’s more like I have trouble digesting their food. Perhaps, they use too much oil and seasoning… Who knows? I am not getting any younger here either.
So this past weekend, I decided to make homemade fried rice. I knew that to get a better texture I needed to use leftover rice, so when I cooked the Peri Peri Chicken the other day, I cooked more rice than usual, so I could have some leftover.
I don’t know about you but I am picky about my fried rice, well… rice in general! I don’t like it all clumpy, soggy and sticky. On the other hand… I don’t like it TOO dry either. I told you I am picky! You can blame my mom, who makes the best rice in the world.
This Shrimp and Sweet Pea Shoots Fried Rice turned out perfect!! Light, fluffy and flavorful.
To give it a special twist I added some delicious organic pea shoots. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re delicate enough to eat raw. The stems are edible and the tendrils are just delicious. They have a sweet crispness that goes beautifully with just about anything, pasta, frittatas, salads, omelets, sandwiches, etc.
I used a wok, but if you don’t have one, you can also use a skillet with high sides and big enough to not crowd all the ingredients or a Dutch oven. One important thing is that you have to make sure that your pan is as hot as it can get – so you need to think ahead and move fast. Get everything ready before you start to prevent burning.
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Did I mention it only takes 15 minutes to make? Much less time than it takes to my husband getting dressed, drive, pick up the food, and return home.
Enjoy!
Shrimp and Sweet Pea Shoots Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- 1 small bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced
- 1 lb small shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used tail-on)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, (matchsticks)
- 1 cup red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas, unfrozen
- 3 cups rice, cooked and chilled
- 1 handful sweet pea shoots (optional)
- 3 tablespoon – 4 soy sauce or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat a wok over high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, half the garlic, half the ginger and half the scallions and sauté 30 seconds. Add in the shrimp, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until they just start to turn pink and curl up, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and reserve.
- In the same pan, over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and add onion and the remaining garlic, ginger and scallions. Sauté 30 seconds, and then add in the carrots, peppers and peas, season with salt and pepper. Sauté the veggies until they begin to brown and caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Increase heat to high, immediately add the rice, pea shoots (if using), soy sauce and oyster sauce, and stir until combined. Continue stirring for an additional 3 - 4 minutes to fry the rice. Add the sesame oil, stir to combine, and remove from heat.
- Serve warm.
