20-minute Meal: Salmon Fried Rice

My family likes salmon sashimi the most. Yet sometimes, we've got leftover salmon or want to try so

My family likes salmon sashimi the most. Yet sometimes, we’ve got leftover salmon or want to try something different, this salmon fried rice will be up on our menu. We’d like to order this rice dish from the nearby Japanese restaurant as well. At home, this rice dish could be whipped up within 20 minutes or less as long as all the ingredients are in your fridge.

Let’s roll up the sleeves. Stir fry the diced button mushrooms first. Fresh mushrooms will release a bit of water when heated. Continue to cook, then you’ll find the water will dry up. Cook until they’re softened. Don’t ever cook too long though.

I reckon whisked eggs as the soul of fried rice. Make sure not to let the eggs be overcooked, as I don’t want to serve the rice without a soul.

I often preheat the rice in a microwave oven whenever using leftover rice. Loosen up the rice with chopsticks or forks before tossing into the fried eggs. Not only this method helps shorten the cooking time, but also helps every grain to be heated evenly and coated with the seasonings nicely.

A hint of ginger will subtlety enhance the flavour of the rice. If you desire stronger spicy flavour, go ahead. The heat of the ginger will surprise your taste buds.

The valued omega-3 oil released from the salmon while frying will be absorbed by the fried rice. Thus, you can add less oil when frying rice, making the rice more healthy and tasty.

How about salmon sashimi with fried rice? It’s a good idea because I tried before. Simply add the salmon after all other ingredients are added. Quickly stir to combine salmon with rice.

Toss in mushrooms and peas.

There you go. Yummy salmon fried rice for an empty stomach!

Author: Christine Ho, best-selling cookbook author of “Easy Recipes – A Selection of Simple Classics” (written in both Chinese and English) .
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Asian

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 20 mins

To get the best results, try to use leftover rice because the rice is dry enough. You might use freshly cooked rice though. Just use less water to cook rice because you don’t want your fried rice to be too soggy. You might like to preheat the leftover rice in a microwave oven in order to shorten the cooking time.

Ingredients

• 2 rice bowls cooked rice
• 180 gm salmon, cubed
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 5 button mushrooms, diced
• 45 gm baby peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• spring onion, for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Blanch baby peas in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook mushrooms until softened. Set aside.
3. Add a little of oil to fry the whisked eggs until half-cooked.
4. Add rice and combine with the egg quickly. Stir fry constantly and get the rice heated evenly.
5. Push the rice to the sides of the pan. Add oil in the middle of the pan. Sauté ginger until aromatic. Add salmon and cook until it turns opaque or cooked to your preference. Toss in the mushrooms and peas and combine well.
6. Sprinkle soy sauce. Season with salt, black pepper and sugar. Quickly stir fry for another minute or two. Serve immediately.