Fried rice is literally among the most foolproof recipes out there. It’s basically leftover rice stir-fried with some kind of protein, a few vegetables, and eggs—heck, our very own sinangag only requires three: rice, garlic, and oil. But the payoff is huge for this recipe as it’s a meal in itself.
[READ: The secret to this golden fried rice? Eggs, butter, and hand-eye coordination]
Kerwin Go, the bodybuilder and chef behind beloved concepts Blackbird at the Nielson Tower and People’s Palace, has a fried rice recipe that is quintessentially Chinese. After all, the dish is a fixture in their household, something he learned from his amah at the early age of 5 and has since made his own.
His version has eggs, green peas, carrots, shrimp, and char siu, but use luncheon meat or pretty much anything you have in your pantry and it will turn out just as comforting. “Perfect for a drunken night after going to the bar,” he quips in his “Comfort Kitchen: Pride Edition” episode.
Yang Chow fried rice
Ingredients
Leftover rice
Eggs, beaten
Carrots, diced
Green peas
Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Char siu, diced
Spring onions or leeks, chopped
Light soy sauce, to taste
Neutral oil
Procedure
1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil then add the peas and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Halfway through boiling, add in the shrimp. Drain and set aside.
3. In a deep nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once there’s a wisp of smoke, toss in the eggs.
4. Before the eggs are fully set, add in the rice and break it up to mix with the eggs.
5. Take the peas, carrots, shrimp, and char siu and mix with the rice and egg mixture. Stir and let cook for a few minutes.
6. Add a splash of soy sauce then toss and stir some more. Garnish with spring onions and adjust the taste accordingly before serving.