Homestyle Chinese Egg Fried Rice with Dried Shrimp

Fluffy, fragrant egg fried rice with garlic, spring onions and salty dried shrimps.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Soaking Time15

Total Time25

Servings: 3 to 4 servings

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.