
February usually has fairly moderate temperatures and we typically see a few breaks of several days to a week that are warm previews of spring.
This shrimp fried rice meal takes advantage of those weather breaks when sportsmen can get outside for a mild lunch or evening around a fire pit. It tastes just as good when prepared inside, but it’s better when you pull out the flat-top grill or a camping wok and cook a meal on the patio or deck. And it is very easy to make.
Winter shrimp were once considered a rarity in the Carolinas, but that has changed a lot in the past several decades. Some nice shrimp are often just off the beaches in the ocean. That’s good as the highlight of this recipe is shrimp.
Still, February is not the best time to catch your own shrimp unless you have some in the freezer. They are also widely available in fish markets
Part of cooking a meal outside is having fun doing it, and this one packs that punch big time. The contents have to be mixed, and cooks skilled in wielding the short spatulas used with flattop grills can be entertaining. When you prepare this, try to develop a rhythm tapping the spatulas as you flip and mix. You might find being the cook becomes more fun than work.
If you’d like to spice this up, consider adding a little blackening seasoning or Cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper.
Shrimp fried rice
I like to use medium size shrimp, but they might not be available during the winter. If you can’t find smaller shrimp, you’ll need to cut the shrimp into smaller pieces. I usually cut them before cooking and think the smaller pieces pick up more flavor. Peel and devein the shrimp whether using them whole or cutting them.
It’s easy to overcook shrimp and make them chewy. If your grill is hot, one to two minutes should be plenty of time. When they start turning pink, they’re ready.
This works well with either white or brown rice, and either can be cooked following the recipe on the package. However, if you want to make your rice a little tastier, add chicken flavor bouillon or Better than Bouillon to the water before cooking the rice. This also takes away the light chalky aftertaste some rice has. I also add just a little extra water so the rice stays moist.
Peas and carrots are the standard vegetables for this and they are available canned or frozen. Frozen is the way to go for this. Canned peas and carrots tend to get mushy, while frozen stay firmer.
This recipe calls for a single egg that is scrambled on the grill and then stirred into the rice and vegetables. I use a single large egg, but if you like more egg in your fried rice, shift up to an extra-large or jumbo. Those who aren’t as fond of eggs can downsize to a medium egg or eliminate it completely.
This really is a fun and tasty meal that is easy to prepare. It looks like a bunch of steps, but they go very quickly. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound shrimp
2 Cups cooked rice
1 Cup mixed carrots and peas (frozen)
1 Egg
2 TBSP softened butter
2 TBSP soy sauce
Chicken bouillon or Better than Bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable (or canola) oil in squirt bottle.
Optional:
Substitute 12 ounces of crawfish tails for shrimp.
Use blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper.
PREPARATION:
Rice:
- Follow directions on box and add bouillon or Better Than Bouillon appropriate for the amount of water.
- Either add a little more water or cook the rice a minute or two less to keep rice moist.
Shrimp and Vegetables:
- Peel and devein the shrimp. If using crawfish, peel them.
- Heat the flattop grill to medium-high heat.
- Melt the butter.
- Add the rice to the butter and stir and warm.
- When rice is warm, add carrots and peas and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Drizzle half the soy sauce over rice and vegeatable mixture and stir to mix well.
- Push the rice and vegetable mixture to the side.
- Crack and beat the egg.
- Squirt some oil on the open center of the grill
- Scramble the egg.
- Mix scrambled egg into rice and vegetables and push to the side.
- Squirt a little more oil on open center of grill.
- Cook shrimp until they turn pink. (1-2 minutes)
- Put shrimp in with rice and vegetables, then add the rest of soy sauce or a light sprinkle of blackened or Cajun seasoning and mix well.
- Serve while warm.
This is a pretty complete meal. It has carbs, vegetables and meat. However, it is always good to begin a meal with a nice green salad or lettuce wedge. For those who like to finish their meal with something sweet, a light pie, like lemon meringue or key lime is a great way to top this off.
Fat Tuesday isn’t until March 4 in 2025, but if you want to give this a little Cajun flavor in a salute to Mardi Gras, it takes just a couple of simple changes to make it work. The first is to use crawfish tails instead of shrimp.
The second change is to use a little blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning instead of salt and pepper. Add this slowly and carefully as it reaches a point where it becomes overly spicy very quickly. Taste it often to be sure not to exceed your preference for the spices.
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