简易扬州炒饭Simple Yangzhou Fried Rice

by | Apr 12, 2021 | Asian, Chinese, Fusion, Rice, Seafood

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This dish is named after Yangzhou, a city in Jiangsu, China. This is another dish from the region I grew up. Again, it is a dish I never ate when I grew up when most people finally left food scarcity behind.

Yangzhou fried rice is probably the most famous variety of fried rice in China. Like other dishes from Huaiyang Cuisine, this dish also involves fine knifework in cutting the ingredients.  The more traditional (authentic) recipe uses rice that’s cooked in chicken stock. In addition, minced chicken is used. When I travelled around the US, I found most “special fried rice” or “house fried rice” dishes found on Chinese restaurant menus have some similarity to Yangzhou fried rice. The ingredients used in this dish can vary greatly but the key is the careful preparation of ingredients. Nowadays, a lot of restaurants are not bothered with quality ingredients and careful preparation. A lot of restaurants even use chicken powder as an ingredient.

My obsession of fried rice is I want all rice grains are separated, in good shape and absorb flavor. To achieve that, I use sushi rice and mince it thoroughly until the water is almost clear. This way, the rice pieces could separate a lot easier and sushi rice is a little chewier. Another important thing is a good amount of oil is necessary to separate the grains and make the grains shiny.

It is a good side dish and lunch box option with carbs, proteins and veggies.

Yangzhou Fried Rice

Simple Yangzhou Fried Rice 简易扬州炒饭

This is probably the most famous variety of fried rice in China. This dish involves fine knifework in cutting the ingredients. The resulting dish is flavorful and colorful.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese

Equipment

  • 12“ frying pan

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups cooked short grain rice (chilled in refrigerator overnight)
  • 2 pieces eggs
  • 1/4 cups shrimp
  • 50 gram prosciutto
  • 1/3 cups shelled edamame
  • 1 piece carrot
  • 4 tbsp olive oil (any oil)
  • 0.5-1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • If buy shell-on shrimp, peel the shrimp. Rinse with water and mince the shrimp to the size of edamame
  • Peel the carrot and mince it to the size of edamame
  • Mince the prosciutto to the size of edamame
  • Soak the edamame with room temperature water in a small bowl
  • Whisk the eggs in a small bowl
  • Heat the frying pan at high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil. Make soft scrambled egg. Place it back to the bowl
  • Add 1 tbsp oil and keep the high heat, add the minced prosciutto and shrimp. Stir until all the shrimp/prosciutto clumps break into pieces and shrimps turn orange. Put them back to a bowl
  • Add 1 tbsp oil and turn heat to medium. Add the the carrots to the pan and stir until soft. Add the rice.
  • Add the last tbsp oil. Break the rice clumps by using spatula to press the clumps. At the same time, keep mixing to make sure all rice is coated with coil.
  • Add the scramble egg, sautted shrimp/prosciutto. Continue to stir to make sure all the ingredients uniformed mixed. It takes about 3-5 mins
  • Once all the ingredients are well mixed and the rice is soft, add the edamame and salt. Stir for 1-2 mins.
  • Taste to adjust with addition of salt

Video

Notes

-Short grain rice is used in this recipe. I typically use sushi rice and I rinse the rice throughly before cooking to remove starch as much as possible.
-I precook the rice and chill it in refrigerator for at least one night.
-The authentic Yangzhou Fried Rice use Chinese ham. It is not ready available in my area. I replace it with prosciutto. The final presentation is different but flavor should be pretty similar. 
-I sometimes use pancetta together with prosciutto. 
-Typical Yangzhou Fried Rice use shiitake mushroom. My kids don't like it. 
Keyword fried rice, prosciutto, rice, yangzhou, yangzhou rice, 扬州, 扬州炒饭, 火腿, 炒饭