The Best Fried Rice

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This recipe comes from Mike Copeland, one of the first friends my father made after moving to Bozeman almost 30 years ago. Mike, a former MSU Economics professor, has a warm smile, quick laugh, the ability to taking a ribbing, and most importantly, tease back–a quality essential in any relationship with my dad. To this day, Mike and his fabulous wife Sue remain among my parents’ nearest and dearest friends.

Mike also happens to be a wonderful cook who has always been ahead of his time. Long before the population explosion in Bozeman and the accessibility that comes with the arrival of Costco and specialty markets, Mike has been “importing” his own exotic ingredients by way of a suitcase on his return trips from California. The fruits of his labor are adventurous and authentic, with this recipe for The Best Fried Rice being a prime example.

The simplicity of this recipe is misleading because the resulting dish is a masterpiece. If you, like me, typically make fried rice by mixing in a dash of this and a splash of that whenever you find yourself with some leftover rice in the fridge, I encourage you to take a step back and follow this recipe. It’s more about restraint and technique than ingredients and you will never look at fried rice the same.

This recipe calls for shrimp and pork. The suggested pork is Chinese sausage, which you should be able to find in a well-stocked grocery store or an Asian market, if you have access to one. It is a dried sausage that you would find in the refrigerator section and subsequently would last quite awhile in your refrigerator if you pick some up in advance.

I encourage you to make The Best Fried Rice to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is this Wednesday, January 29. It is the year of the snake, but you already knew that. Enjoy!

The Best Fried Rice
Print Recipe

The Best Fried Rice

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 5 c cold cooked rice cooked at least one day in advance
  • 1 c small raw shrimp steeled, deveined and split in half, lengthwise
  • 1 tsp baking sode
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 Tbls peanut, vegetable or corn oil
  • 2/3 c cubed Chinese sausage, 2 small or cooked ham
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 c frozen green peas
  • 1 Tbls salt approximately
  • 2 Tbls oyster sauce
  • 1 c fresh bean sprouts
  • 1/2 c chopped scallion green part included

Instructions

  • Flake the rice so that the grains do not stick together. Set aside.
  • Combine the shrimp with the baking soda and salt and let stand for 15 minutes or longer. Rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry on a paper towel.
  • Heat oil in a wok or skillet until it is almost smoking and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring quickly and turning them in the oil until they turn pink, about 30 seconds. Remove them to a sieve fitted over a bowl and let them drain well. Return the oil from the drained shrimp to the pan.
  • Add the sausage or ham to the pan and cook just to heat through, stirring. Add the rice, stirring rapidly, and cook until thoroughly heated without browning.
  • Do the following quickly: Make a well in the center of the rice and add the eggs, stirring constantly. When they have a soft scrambled consistency, start incorporating the rice, stirring in a circular motion.
  • When all of the rice and eggs are blended, add the peas and the salt, stirring. Stir in the oyster sauce and the cooked shrimp, tossing the rice over and over to blend everything. Stir in the bean sprouts and cook, stirring and tossing, about 30 seconds. Add the scallions and serve immediately.
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