Shrimp Fried Rice

No need to order shrimp fried rice take-away any more—you can make it yourself. Double the ingredients and this fast and easy recipe will become a staple dinner dish for the family. Plan ahead and cook the rice the day before. Cold rice is best as it has had time to dry out and won’t become mushy and break down like freshly cooked rice will during frying. Other ingredients can be added such as mushrooms, ham, and egg. Brown rice and olive oil in place of bacon drippings can be substituted for a healthier option. If you’re a big fan of shrimp, simply add more to the recipe.

Serves 2

2-3 slices bacon
75 mL (1/3 cup) white onion, diced small
75 mL (1/3 cup) green onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
1 L (4 cups) cooked rice, cold, preferably a day old
10 to 12 medium to large shrimp, cooked
125 mL (1/2 cup) frozen peas, thawed
Soy sauce

Fry bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Remove bacon, reserving 25 mL (2 tbsp) of drippings. Clean pan. Heat 10 mL (2 tsp) bacon drippings and stir-fry the white onion and celery. Add more bacon drippings if necessary and stir-fry the rice. Don’t stir the rice too often; let it heat through before each stirring. Wash shrimp, pat dry, and cut in half if they are large. Add shrimp, green onion, and peas to fried rice and heat through. Crumble the bacon and add to the rice and combine thoroughly.

Add more green onion as a garnish if desired and serve with soy sauce.