Shrimp Fried Rice

First things first everyone, who is psyched for Leo finally winning an Oscar? I love award shows and yesterday I went all out making fried chicken and waffles. My kitchen is a wreck! So today I thought I’d share an easy recipe that is a great make ahead dish for the upcoming week. No, not chicken and waffles, even though they were great. (I promise I’ll share that one eventually.) Today it’s all about shrimp fried rice!

This is a fast recipe that can yield a lot of food out of one pan. Clean up is easy, you can have leftovers for days and everyone loves it. You know when you go to those hibachi steak houses and they are spinning the egg and tossing shrimp into your mouth? Who isn’t a fan of that? This is all that great flavor without the tricks and having to share your dinner table with strangers.

Yields 4-6 servings

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1/2 lb large or jumbo shrimp, cleaned & deveined
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp mirin or rice vinegar
• 12 oz bag frozen veggies (I used carrots, corn, green beans & peas)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• parsley for garnish

1. Cook two cups of brown rice according to package directions and set aside.
2. Heat mirin or rice vinegar over medium heat in a wok or large sauté pan. Add shrimp to the pan and sprinkle with chili and garlic powder. Cook for about 4 minute, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp start to become pink and opaque. Remove from heat with a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside, reserving the liquid in the pan.
3. Add frozen veggies to the pan. Stir constantly until they are thawed. Make a well in the center of the veggies and add the egg, directly onto the surface of the pan. After a minute when the egg has begun to cook through, scramble and toss it with the veggies until combined.
4. Add the rice to the pan and mix into the veggies. Evenly pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the contents of the pan, and cook for another minute until rice is warmed through, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the shrimp back into the rice and toss until incorporated into the rice. Add the lime juice, stir it in and cook for about a minute until the shrimp are warm. Serve with a garnish of fresh parsley.

Like a lot of my other recipes, this is great because you can use whatever you have in your kitchen and make your own variation. You can do chicken or tofu as the protein, you can use whatever frozen veggies you and your family like, and it’s an recipe that’s  easy to taste as you go and adjust flavors.

Season the shrimp with whatever spices you love, I just happen to like a bit of heat. Some people may like a little more soy sauce but I prefer a less salty taste than what you would expect from take out fried rice. Sesame oil isn’t necessary but I think it’s the secret ingredient that really brings together that hibachi flavor. Try the rice before and after adding it, you’ll see what I mean. Lime juice also isn’t necessary. That’s my signature at the end, because I like the bright, fresh flavor it adds.

My husband loves when I make this. Whatever we don’t eat is always enough for two or three lunches for the rest of the week. I portion it out into Tupperware and he grabs it on his way out the door. He also likes to drizzle a little sriracha on top. Highly recommended if you are a spicy food fan.

Try this one out a few times until you find your perfect combination. Once you get it down, I guarantee it will be a weeknight winner. And it’s a lot easier than having to fight a bear! See what I did there? Huh!? Sorry, I’m still fan-girling over Leo. I’ll try and control my corny jokes in the future. Maybe.