Vietnamese Combination Fried Rice with Shrimp, Char Siu and Egg

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The Vietnamese rice-plate house special: cold day-old jasmine rice fried hard in a screaming skillet with shrimp, sweet char siu pork, Chinese sausage and ribbons of egg. Everything goes in and out in stages so nothing steams, and it's finished off-heat with fish sauce, white pepper and a fistful of scallions for that unmistakable savory-sweet edge.

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked day-old jasmine rice (from about 1 3/4 cups dry), cold and clumps broken up

• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

• 8 oz medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted very dry
• 6 oz Chinese barbecue pork (char siu), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 links Chinese sausage (lap cheong), thinly sliced on a bias
• 3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 5 scallions, whites thinly sliced, greens cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
• kosher salt

• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• sliced red chile or chili-garlic sauce, for serving
• cilantro sprigs

Instructions

1. Take the rice out of the refrigerator and spread it on a sheet pan. Rub the grains between your fingers to break every clump into separate kernels — this is the single most important step. If the rice feels wet, let it air-dry on the pan for 15 minutes. (No day-old rice? Cook rice with 10% less water, spread on a sheet pan, and chill uncovered in the freezer for 30 minutes.)
2. Stir the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and white pepper together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set it next to the stove along with all your prepped ingredients — once you start cooking there is no time to chop.
3. Set a 12-inch carbon steel or stainless skillet (or a wok) over high heat until a drop of water skitters and evaporates in about 2 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirl, then add the shrimp in a single layer with a pinch of salt. Sear undisturbed 60 seconds, flip, and cook 30 to 45 seconds more, just until barely opaque. Scrape onto a plate.
4. Return the pan to high heat and add the Chinese sausage. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the edges crisp and the fat renders out — leave that rendered fat in the pan. Add the char siu and stir 45 seconds, just to caramelize the sugary edges. Move both to the plate with the shrimp.
5. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil, pour in the beaten eggs, and let them set for 15 seconds. Scramble in large curds for about 30 seconds, pulling them out while still slightly glossy and underdone. Add to the plate.
6. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, then the onion, carrot and scallion whites. Stir-fry 2 minutes over high heat until the onion turns translucent and the carrot loses its raw crunch. Add the garlic and stir 20 seconds until fragrant.
7. Add all of the rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Press the rice into the pan with the back of your spatula, let it sit 30 seconds to catch some heat, then toss and repeat for 3 to 4 minutes total. You want the grains hot, dry and lightly toasted, hopping in the pan — not clumping or steaming.
8. Scatter the peas over the rice, then return the shrimp, sausage, char siu and egg to the pan. Drizzle the sauce mixture around the hot edge of the pan rather than into the center so it sizzles and caramelizes instantly. Toss vigorously for 45 to 60 seconds, breaking the egg into ribbons, until every grain is evenly bronzed.
9. Kill the heat, add the scallion greens, and toss twice with the residual heat so they wilt but stay bright. Taste and adjust with a few extra drops of fish sauce or a pinch of white pepper. Pile onto plates and serve immediately with lime wedges, cucumber slices, cilantro and chile or chili-garlic sauce.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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