Dec 26, 2009

Fried Rice with Ham

This dish, which can be served as a side or an entrée, is from a recipe in Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo (Chronicle Books, 2009); we’ve found it works well with country ham.

Credit: Todd Coleman

FOR THE MARINADE:

2 tsp. oyster sauce

1 tsp. light soy sauce

2 tsp. rice wine

1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 1" piece ginger, peeled and grated

3/4 tsp. sugar

1/2 lb. large shrimp (about 8),  

peeled, deveined, and quartered

FOR THE SAUCE:

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. rice wine

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. sugar

FOR THE RICE:

6 cups cooked rice, at room temperature

5 tbsp. peanut oil

5 eggs, beaten with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 cup finely chopped country ham

5 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally

1. Marinate the shrimp: Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, ginger, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Make the sauce: Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl; set sauce aside.

3. Make the rice: Put rice into a bowl and use your hands to break up any clumps; set aside. Heat a wok or a 12" nonstick skillet over high heat until hot. Add 1 tbsp. oil and swirl to coat cooking surface. When oil begins to smoke slightly, add the eggs and stir vigorously to scramble until eggs are medium firm, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer eggs to a plate and cut into small pieces; set aside.

4. Wipe out wok or skillet with a dry towel. Heat over high heat until hot. Add 2 tbsp. oil and swirl to coat cooking surface. Drain shrimp, discarding marinade. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until pink, about 2 minutes. Add ham and stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer shrimp and ham to a plate and return the wok or skillet to the heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp. oil to pan, swirl to coat, and add the rice, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Cook rice over high heat for 6 minutes, stirring every minute. Add reserved sauce and stir-fry until rice is coated with sauce, about 1 minute. Mix in reserved eggs, shrimp–ham mixture, and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Transfer fried rice to a warm platter to serve.  

SERVES 6 – 8