Sassy Mama Cooks! Yeung Chau Chow Fan, Cantonese Fried Rice

This is a big staple on Chinese café menus in Hong Kong, and so easy to make. I always get asked to make this when friends come over, and it’s light, fast, and has a lot of flavour. This is a great way to introduce more seafood into your kids’ diet as the main ingredients are shrimps and Char Siu (Cantonese BBQ pork), which is available from cooked meat shops and restaurants all over Hong Kong… just look for the roast geese and ducks hanging in the window! Alternatively Char Siu can be substituted with chopped ham.

You must use cooked cold rice, as in leftover rice put in the fridge overnight. Freshly cooked rice contains too much moisture and will stick where you want the rice grains to separate. Next time you cook rice, make a little extra just for this dish and you won’t be disappointed! The key to cooking this is using a wok and a high flame, and the total cooking time is less than ten minutes. Use salt, rather than soya sauce to flavour, as soya will change the colour of the rice and it should be as bright and attractive as possible.

Yeung Chau Chow Fan: Makes 4 small bowls or 2 large
2 large cups of cooked, cold, leftover rice (1 cup per person)
½ cup of raw, deveined shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 cup of Char Siu or ham, chopped
2 eggs
4-5 leaves of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and thinly shredded
½ cup of frozen peas
1 large pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
2 slices of fresh ginger, finely minced or chopped
1 teaspoon of pure toasted sesame oil (optional)
1 tablespoon of mild tasting oil for frying

1. Heat a non-stick wok or deep bottomed pan, and add a tablespoon of cooking oil. When the pan is good and hot, add the garlic and ginger, and fry for a few seconds before adding the rice. Break up the rice grains with a wooden spatula and toss well to coat with the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the chopped shrimp and keep tossing. When the shrimp begins to change colour, add the Char Siu.

3. Stir fry for 2 minutes on a high heat.

4. Make a well in the rice, and crack the eggs into it. Then toss the rice and egg mixture well to make sure the egg is evenly distributed. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the lettuce and peas and toss again for 1-2 minutes. Add the salt and sesame oil. Turn off the flame but toss well to mix the salt and oil through, and then serve.