I’m going to fess up on this one. My previous attempts at fried rice have resulted in dismal failures. Well perhaps failures is too strong a word, but after being mentored by cooking teacher Pearly Kee at the Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School in Penang Malaysia, I’ve finally produced a fried rice that makes me more than half happy.
And, if I manage to dish up something as tasty now that I’m home I’ll be even happier.
So hot oil and a wok help. But the winning factor (apart from Pearly Kee’s beaming smile and unrelenting patience) was the home made Sambal Belachan (instructions below.)
Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1 pineapple (cut to half with crown in tact)
4 cups cooked rice
8-12 fresh shrimp/prawns
4 tablespoons oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic
1 red or green chilli
4 tablespoon roasted cashews
1/2 cup peas
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup currants or raisins
3 tablespoons sambal belachan
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 spring onions, finely slicedMethod:
In a wok, pour cooking oil on medium heat. Make scrambled egg with heated oil. Dish out and set aside. Stir fry shallots and garlic in oil until aromatic. Use flavoured oil to stir fry prawns. Add red chillies and peas. Add raisins, sambal belachan and cooked rice, stir frying until it’s all heated through. Add seasonings, scrambled eggs and fry until well done.
Plate with spring onions and toasted cashews as garnish.
Sambal Belachan
Blend 8 chillies to every 30g/2tbsp of shrimp paste. Then fry. Optional: add oil for longer storage.
With thanks to Pearly Kee and Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School for permission to share the recipe.
Rebecca Varidel was a guest in Malaysia of Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines.
Check out the Greens with Cardamon Salad and Nonya Fish Maw Soup also by Pearly Kee on Inside Cuisine.
