Prawn Fried Rice with Egg, Peas and Sweetcorn
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking, Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
This follows the same egg fried rice method as our classic recipe, with raw king prawns seared first until opaque, plus carrot, garlic, peas and sweetcorn stir-fried before the rice — the prawns and egg go back in right at the end.
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Method
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Equipment
- large nonstick frying pan (28-30 cm) or carbon-steel wok
- wok spatula or wide spatula
- small bowl
- plate
- instant-read probe thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 885 kcal |
| Protein | 41.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 98.6 g |
| of which sugars | 6.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 36.1 g |
| of which saturates | 4.8 g |
| Fibre | 5.8 g |
| Salt | 2.45 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 2 servings
Fried rice
- 500 g cold cooked long-grain or jasmine rice (from about 200 g raw rice, cooked the day before)
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 spring onions, whites and greens sliced separately
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
Prawns and vegetables
- 200 g raw peeled king prawns, deveined, patted dry
- 1 carrot, cut into 5 mm dice about 80 g
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 80 g frozen peas
- 80 g drained tinned sweetcorn
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1
Prepare Everything First. Crumble the cold rice between your fingers to break up any clumps, then beat the eggs with the salt. Pat the prawns completely dry with kitchen paper, since any surface moisture will make them stew rather than sear. Having everything ready before the pan heats up keeps this quick stir-fry moving at the pace it needs.
- 2
Sear the Prawns. Heat the pan over high heat until very hot, add the extra tablespoon of oil, then lay the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1 minute per side until opaque all the way through and curled. Cut one open to check — there should be no translucent centre left anywhere. Tip the prawns onto the plate while you cook the rest.
- 3
Set the Egg Aside. Add 1 tbsp of the fried-rice oil to the same pan, pour in the beaten egg and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring now and then, until fully set with no liquid egg remaining (71°C). Transfer it to the plate with the prawns. Cooking the egg before the vegetables keeps it light and fluffy rather than overcooked and rubbery by the time it's folded back in.
- 4
Stir-Fry the Vegetables. Add another tablespoon of oil, the carrot, garlic and spring onion whites, and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the carrot is just tender-crisp. Add the peas and sweetcorn and toss for 1 minute more. The short, hot cooking keeps the vegetables bright and crunchy instead of turning them soft and watery.
- 5
Fry the Rice. Tip in the rice and stir-fry, pressing and tossing, for 3-5 minutes until the grains separate, turn hot right through and begin to jump in the pan. Pour the last tablespoon of oil around the edge of the pan, add the soy sauce to the same spot and toss to coat evenly. The constant movement stops the rice sticking and lets any remaining moisture evaporate quickly.
- 6
Return Prawns and Egg. Add the prawns and egg back to the pan, breaking the egg into small pieces, then sprinkle in the white pepper and spring onion greens. Toss for 1 minute until everything is piping hot, checking with the probe thermometer that the rice reads 74°C at the centre. Serve straight away so the prawns stay tender rather than overcooking further in the residual heat.
Storage
Cool freshly fried rice quickly by spreading it on a tray, refrigerate within 1 hour and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once, until piping hot throughout (74°C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
