Soy sauce rice pilaf (酱油炒饭)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Soy sauce rice pilaf (酱油炒饭)
Description
Soy sauce rice pilaf combines marinated prawns with a vegetable-studded rice cooked in soy sauce and hot water. The prawns are marinated with garlic, dark soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, Shaoxing rice wine, and salt, then pan-fried briefly until curled and tender. The rice is prepared by stir-frying scallions and rice in cooking oil, adding diced vegetables including carrots, bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and soybeans or peas, then simmering with hot water and dark soy sauce until tender.
The final step mixes the cooked shrimp into the rice, finishing with sesame oil for aroma. This method imparts a deep brown color and a balance of savory, sweet, and slightly smoky flavors. The texture is tender with distinct vegetable and shrimp pieces for varied mouthfeel.
Soy sauce rice pilaf makes a complete meal or a hearty side, suitable for lunch or dinner. Adjusting the type of rice to jasmine, as suggested, helps achieve the right texture. Shiitake mushrooms should be rehydrated before cooking to integrate their flavor well.
The notes mention substituting dark soy sauce with regular soy sauce if preferred, and provide tips on rehydrating mushrooms. These practical details assist in ingredient preparation and ensure the dish achieves the intended flavor and texture profile.
Ingredients
For the prawns
- 7 oz Shrimp
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce see note 1
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For the rice
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 cup rice see note 2, raw, rinsed
- 1 talk scallion chopped
- 9 oz soybeans or peas
- 1 medium carrot diced
- ½ bell pepper diced
- 10 shiitake mushrooms see note 3, dried, rehydrated and diced
- 1¾ cup water hot
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce see note 1
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Marinate the prawns
- In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the shrimp (except for the oil). Set aside.
Cook the rice
- In a wok/skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
- Stir in scallions and leave to sizzle for 10 seconds or so. Put in rice. Fry until every grain is covered by oil.
- Add all the vegetables. Continue frying for a while. When everything appears to be very dry, pour in hot water and dark soy sauce.
- Bring the water to a boil then cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to low. Leave to simmer for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the wok/skillet from the heat. Let it rest for a further 5 minutes.
Fry the shrimp
- While the rice is resting, heat up 1 teaspoon of oil in a skillet. Place in marinated shrimp. Cook both sides until they curl up tight (It should take very short time).
- Sprinkle salt and sesame oil over the rice. Stir in the fried shrimp. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dark soy sauce imparts the dish's characteristic brown color and can be replaced with regular soy sauce if desired.
- Thai jasmine rice is recommended for optimal texture, but you may use other rice types by adjusting water quantities.
- To rehydrate shiitake mushrooms, soak them in cold water for at least 8 hours until soft, then trim and discard stems before dicing.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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