Shrimp Garlic Fried Rice (Print Version)

Garlic-infused fried rice with tender shrimp, jasmine rice, and fresh vegetables. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 10 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Rice

02 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old and chilled)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium carrot, diced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 spring onions, sliced
06 - 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Aromatics & Sauces

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
10 - 1 tsp sesame oil
11 - 1/2 tsp white pepper
12 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - Extra sliced spring onions
14 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with a pinch of salt.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp and set aside.
03 - In the same wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Add the rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until heated through.
05 - Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Toss well to coat the rice evenly.
06 - Stir in the peas and most of the spring onions. Return the shrimp to the wok and fold gently to combine. Cook for 1–2 minutes until everything is hot.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra spring onions and lime wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses up day-old rice and turns it into something better than takeout, with that perfect slightly chewy texture you can never get from fresh rice.
  • The shrimp cook so fast you barely have time to chop the vegetables, making this genuinely doable on a weeknight when you're already tired.
  • Every bite has little pops of sweetness from the peas and that deep umami from garlic and oyster sauce that makes you want to scrape the bowl.
02 -
  • If you use fresh rice instead of day-old, it will turn gummy and stick together no matter how hard you stir, so plan ahead and chill your rice for at least a few hours.
  • Don't crowd the shrimp in the pan or they'll steam instead of sear, cook them in batches if your wok isn't big enough.
  • High heat is your friend here, but if the garlic starts to burn pull the pan off the heat for a few seconds and keep stirring.
03 -
  • Cook your rice the night before and spread it out on a baking sheet to cool, then refrigerate it uncovered so it dries out and fries up perfectly.
  • Use the highest heat your stove can manage and keep everything moving in the wok, the slight char on the rice and vegetables is what makes this taste like it came from a restaurant.
  • If you can find it, use Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce instead of part of the soy sauce for a deeper, more complex umami flavor.
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