PRAWN AND EGG FRIED RICE

20 Min Total

Preparation 10 min

Cooking 10 min

Serves 4-6

I absolutely love egg-fried rice, but always avoided making it at home as you have to cook the rice then wait for it to cool. Then I discovered pre-cooked rice, which is perfect for this dish. The chef in me told me that I should always avoid using pre-prepared foods, but here is one that is definitely allowed. You can add whatever you like to this dish; I love big, fat juice prawns in mine. If you want to bulk it out a bit, you can add other vegetables, such as broccoli, mangetout or green beans, and cooked meats, such as cooked chicken and pork… the list is endless.

400g basmati express rice

3 eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable or groundnut oil

2 red chillies, roughly sliced and seeds left in if you are a fan of spicey food

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

6 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces with the white and green parts separated

400g raw large prawns, peeled

4 tablespoons [light or dark] soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

2 large handfuls of frozen or fresh peas (make sure they are defrosted before using if sing frozen peas)

1 lime, cut into wedges

1. To cook the rice, follow the instructions on the express rice packet (usually put it in the microwave for 2 minutes).
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Heat a large wok or frying pan on the stove, add the vegetable or groundnut oil and when the oil is very hot, add the chilli, garlic and white part of the spring onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove them from the pan and add the beaten eggs, move them around quickly in the pan or wok until cooked and well scrambled – I like to leave some big bits of egg as this is the best part. Remove the scrambled eggs from the pan.
3. Add the cooked ingredients back into the wok or pan along with the prawns, heated rice, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, sweet chilli sauce, green tips of the spring onions and the peas. Stir well and the add the egg back in and heat through for 3–4 minutes. Mix together well and serve with a wedge of lime and torn coriander.

NB: Raw prawns give the best flavour, but if you are in hurry, then cooked prawns for a midweek dinner.

Adapted from Home at 7, Dinner at 8 by Sophie Wright.

Click here to buy Home at 7, Dinner at 8 on Amazon.