Homestyle Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Dried Shrimp
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Soaking Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 3-4
This Chinese egg fried rice is my favourite way to cook fried rice at home. It only needs eggs, rice, garlic and dried shrimps, and the cooking itself takes about 10 minutes. I’ll be honest, there are a few tricky parts, like keeping the rice fluffy instead of mushy and breaking up the clumps without crushing the grains. Don’t worry, I’ll share my tips for each one, so you get loose, fluffy fried rice every time.
The rice is fluffy, fragrant and savoury, with bits of salty dried shrimp in every bite. The savoury depth comes from the dried shrimps fried in oil until golden brown, the fragrance from the garlic and a splash of light soy sauce, and the fresh finish from the spring onions tossed in right at the end.
Watch How to Make It
What Is Chinese Egg Fried Rice?
Chinese egg fried rice (蛋炒饭) is one of the most common home-cooked rice dishes in Chinese kitchens. It’s cooked rice stir-fried with eggs and a few simple seasonings, and it’s a great way to use up leftover rice. In this homestyle version, I added dried shrimps (虾米) for a salty, savoury flavour, a touch you’ll often find in Malaysian Chinese home cooking. I used jasmine rice cooked with an equal amount of water, so the grains stay separate and fluffy after frying.
Ingredients for Chinese Egg Fried Rice
Serves 3-4
Egg Fried Rice (蛋炒饭):
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, about 4 cups cooked (2杯生茉莉香米，约4杯熟饭)
- 25 grams dried shrimps (25克虾米)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (5瓣蒜，切碎)
- 5 sprigs spring onion, sliced (5根葱，切葱花)
- 4 eggs (4颗鸡蛋)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (2汤匙生抽)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/4茶匙盐)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (1/4茶匙白胡椒粉)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 3 for frying and 1 for the eggs (4汤匙食用油，3汤匙用于炒饭，1汤匙用于炒蛋)
- 1 chicken stock cube, optional (鸡汤块，可选)
How to Make Chinese Egg Fried Rice
1. Prepare the Rice
- Cook the jasmine rice with an equal amount of water (2 cups rice to 2 cups water), so the grains don’t turn mushy.
- While the rice is still warm, fluff it up, then let it cool to room temperature. Overnight rice works too.
2. Soak the Dried Shrimps
- First, rinse the dried shrimps, then soak them in water for about 15 minutes.
3. Prep the Garlic, Spring Onions and Eggs
- While the dried shrimps are soaking, mince the garlic.
- Wash the spring onions, remove the ends and cut them into small pieces.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, then gently break them up with chopsticks or a fork.
4. Fry the Dried Shrimps and Garlic
- Once the dried shrimps are ready, drain off the water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Heat the wok. Once it’s hot, add 3 tablespoons of oil and the dried shrimps, then sauté on medium heat until fragrant and golden brown.
- Next, add the garlic and fry until fragrant.
5. Add the Rice
- Add the rice and gently tap it with the spatula to loosen any clumps. Try not to poke or cut the rice, or the grains will break.
- Toss until everything is combined.
6. Cook the Eggs
- Push the rice to one side of the wok and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. If the oil is splattering, turn down the heat before adding the eggs.
- Gently pour in the eggs, close to the wok, because the oil tends to splatter. Then scramble the eggs until about 70% cooked.
- Fold the rice over the eggs and toss until well mixed and the eggs are fully cooked.
7. Season and Serve
- Season with the salt, light soy sauce and white pepper. If you like, add the chicken stock cube for more flavour, then toss until everything is well mixed and fragrant.
- Finally, add the spring onions, toss a few times and serve.
Homestyle Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Dried Shrimp
Ingredients
Egg Fried Rice (蛋炒饭)
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice, about 4 cups cooked (2杯生茉莉香米，约4杯熟饭)
- 25 grams dried shrimps (25克虾米)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (5瓣蒜，切碎)
- 5 sprigs spring onion, sliced (5根葱，切葱花)
- 4 eggs (4颗鸡蛋)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (2汤匙生抽)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/4茶匙盐)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (1/4茶匙白胡椒粉)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 3 for frying and 1 for the eggs (4汤匙食用油，3汤匙用于炒饭，1汤匙用于炒蛋)
- 1 chicken stock cube (鸡汤块) optional (可选)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Rice
- Cook the jasmine rice with an equal amount of water (2 cups rice to 2 cups water), so the grains don’t turn mushy.
- While the rice is still warm, fluff it up, then let it cool to room temperature. Overnight rice works too.
2. Soak the Dried Shrimps
- First, rinse the dried shrimps, then soak them in water for about 15 minutes.
3. Prep the Garlic, Spring Onions and Eggs
- While the dried shrimps are soaking, mince the garlic.
- Wash the spring onions, remove the ends and cut them into small pieces.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, then gently break them up with chopsticks or a fork.
4. Fry the Dried Shrimps and Garlic
- Once the dried shrimps are ready, drain off the water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Heat the wok. Once it’s hot, add 3 tablespoons of oil and the dried shrimps, then sauté on medium heat until fragrant and golden brown.
- Next, add the garlic and fry until fragrant.
5. Add the Rice
- Add the rice and gently tap it with the spatula to loosen any clumps. Try not to poke or cut the rice, or the grains will break.
- Toss until everything is combined.
6. Cook the Eggs
- Push the rice to one side of the wok and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. If the oil is splattering, turn down the heat before adding the eggs.
- Gently pour in the eggs, close to the wok, because the oil tends to splatter. Then scramble the eggs until about 70% cooked.
- Fold the rice over the eggs and toss until well mixed and the eggs are fully cooked.
7. Season and Serve
- Season with the salt, light soy sauce and white pepper. If you like, add the chicken stock cube for more flavour, then toss until everything is well mixed and fragrant.
- Finally, add the spring onions, toss a few times and serve.
Notes
- Don’t use too much water. I matched 2 cups of rice with 2 cups of water. Rice cooked without too much water stays firmer and fries up fluffy instead of mushy.
- Cool the rice first. Fluff the rice while it’s warm, then let it cool to room temperature. Overnight rice works well too.
- Tap, don’t poke. Cooled rice tends to clump. Gently tap the clumps with your spatula to loosen them, because poking or cutting the rice breaks the grains into smaller pieces.
- Pour the eggs in gently. Pour them close to the wok, as the oil tends to splatter. If it’s splattering a lot, turn down the heat first. Then scramble the eggs until about 70% cooked before folding the rice over.
- Pat the dried shrimps dry. After soaking, dry them with a paper towel so they fry in the oil until fragrant and golden brown.
Tips for the Best Chinese Egg Fried Rice
- Don’t use too much water. I matched 2 cups of rice with 2 cups of water. Rice cooked without too much water stays firmer and fries up fluffy instead of mushy.
- Cool the rice first. Fluff the rice while it’s warm, then let it cool to room temperature. Overnight rice works well too.
- Tap, don’t poke. Cooled rice tends to clump. Gently tap the clumps with your spatula to loosen them, because poking or cutting the rice breaks the grains into smaller pieces.
- Pour the eggs in gently. Pour them close to the wok, as the oil tends to splatter. If it’s splattering a lot, turn down the heat first. Then scramble the eggs until about 70% cooked before folding the rice over.
- Pat the dried shrimps dry. After soaking, dry them with a paper towel so they fry in the oil until fragrant and golden brown.
What to Serve with Chinese Egg Fried Rice
Egg fried rice is a meal on its own, but I like to serve it with a light, clear soup on the side. A bowl of Chinese Style Spinach Soup or Chinese Seaweed Soup with Minced Pork goes really well with it, and balances out the savoury fried rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best rice for egg fried rice?
Jasmine rice works well. Cook it with an equal amount of water, for example 2 cups of rice to 2 cups of water, so the grains stay firm and fluffy after frying. Overnight rice is also a good choice.
Can I use freshly cooked rice for fried rice?
Yes. Fluff up the rice while it’s warm, then let it cool to room temperature before frying. Not using too much water when cooking the rice also helps.
Why is my fried rice mushy?
Usually the rice was cooked with too much water, or it was still hot when it went into the wok. Poking or cutting the rice while frying also breaks the grains and makes it mushy.
Do I need to soak the dried shrimps?
Yes. Rinse them, then soak them for about 15 minutes to soften them. Pat them dry before frying.
Can I replace the dried shrimps with something else?
Yes. Chicken, char siu, siu yok (crispy roast pork) or fresh prawns all work well. Cut them into small pieces. For char siu or siu yok, follow the same steps as the dried shrimps: fry them in the oil until fragrant, then add the garlic. Cook raw chicken or prawns in the wok until done before adding the rice. If you leave the dried shrimps out, you may want to add a little more salt or a chicken stock cube, as they add a salty, savoury flavour.
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