Eggs , Pork , shrimp , Cast Iron
Best for: The fried rice all other fried rices descend from.
Yangzhou fried rice is the pattern for every “house special” fried rice that followed: distinct grains, a little of everything — char siu pork, shrimp, egg, peas, scallions — and no sauce darkening it. A cast-iron skillet on the grill gives the wide, even heat the dish wants, and cooking the components in sequence keeps every one of them distinct.
Cast iron: Large cast-iron skillet over direct high heat on the grill; 500°F. Equipment: 12-inch cast-iron skillet, grill, spatula.
Ingredients
12 minutes. Total: 27 minutes.
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled overnight and loosened with your fingers
- 3 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
- 1 cup diced char siu or other Chinese BBQ pork (or cooked ham)
- 1/2 lb small shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine table salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Directions
Heat the cast-iron skillet on the grill to 500°F. Add 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil and scramble the eggs into soft ribbons, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the shrimp for 1–2 minutes, until just pink and opaque at 145°F. Add the char siu and peas and stir for 1 minute more. Set everything aside with the eggs.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the scallion whites, then the rice. Press the rice into the skillet, let it sit for 30 seconds, then toss — repeat for 3–4 minutes until the grains are separate, hot, and lightly toasted in spots.
Season the rice with the soy sauce, salt, and white pepper, tossing so the seasoning disappears into the grains rather than pooling.
Return the eggs, shrimp, char siu, and peas and toss for 1 minute, until everything is evenly mixed and steaming.
Off the heat, fold in the sesame oil and the scallion greens and serve in the skillet.
Grilling tip: Cold, dry, day-old rice is non-negotiable — fresh rice clumps into porridge no matter how hot the skillet is.
