Pro-Tips For Making Your Shrimp Fried Rice The Talk Of The Town

Fried rice is satisfying, simple, fast, and affordable to put together in a pinch. It's one of those go-to meals whether you're feeding a family or dashing out the door, and shrimp fried rice has the added benefit of a protein boost perfect for seafood lovers.

That said, some home cooks might find it tough to replicate restaurant quality at home and wind up with mushy rice and muddled or underdeveloped flavors, making the whole dish fall flat. To demystify how to make mouthwatering shrimp fried rice, Daily Meal turned to Shirley Chung, the Chinese-born chef and owner of Ms Chi Cafe, and Top Chef finalist and cookbook author (not to mention the "The Dumpling Queen of Los Angeles" and the visionary behind Kraft Singles Souplings, which lived up to the hype). 

Chung generously gave Daily Meal some tips on how to make sure your dish always stands out, and fortunately, her tips are straightforward and super easy for the home cook to implement. She explained that it's all about being deliberate in how you layer flavors and getting the most out of every ingredient — and even passed along some stellar ideas for fried rice customization.

When it comes to making memorable shrimp fried rice, take Shirley Chung's first piece of advice and prepare one major component the day before you're ready to cook. She suggests always using day-old rice, with the kernels well separated (this will prevent that pesky clumping when it comes to cooking time).

From there, Chung describes the order in which you should cook your ingredients. "I always cook the protein first, [then] set aside," she said. In this case, that means your shrimp, but if you're including eggs too, Chung said to fry those next and set aside as well.

The next step is to add aromatics like ginger and onions, then vegetables, and then your rice. From there, Chung says to rely on your senses. "Sauté till you can smell the caramelization in the air (wok energy)," before incorporating seasonings like soy sauce, white pepper, and oyster sauce. The final step is to return the cooked shrimp to the wok to incorporate and warm everything through, then garnish with freshly chopped onions.

In terms of ingredient-related tips, Shirley Chung says there's a critical error you should avoid, and that's changing out your oil as you cook. "Always use the same oil," she said. "Cooking each ingredient builds complex flavor for the fried rice."

There are a number of oils you can use when frying rice, and a nutty sesame oil is a flavorful complement. If you're looking to whip up an easy fried rice dish that focuses on the other flavors you've built according to Chung's advice though, a neutral option like canola works, too.

Chung shared her thoughts on additional elements that can elevate your meal as well."I like to add sliced asparagus and plenty of minced ginger into my shrimp fried rice," she noted. She also recommended diced-up zucchini or cucumbers and fresh English peas. And for anyone looking to repurpose some of those less popular veggie bits, she also noted that broccoli stems are a great addition to your dish. With these pro strategies in mind, you can confidently take the steps toward restaurant-level shrimp fried rice right at home.