Prawn Egg Fried Rice with Frozen Prawns and Chilled Rice

Turn a bowl of properly chilled rice into a quick Chinese-style dinner with prawns, egg and a little carrot. Cook the egg and prawns separately first, then bring everything together so the rice fries evenly.

Ingredients for 3

The 25-minute time assumes thawed prawns and cooked, chilled rice; cooking and chilling rice is extra. An Australian tablespoon is 20 ml. Cool cooked rice promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at 5°C or below; use it the next day. Never use rice left on the bench overnight. Contains crustaceans, egg, soy, wheat and sesame. Rice is part of the dish and is included in the nutrition.

Method

1. Step 1Prepare the cold rice

   Loosen 600 g properly chilled cooked rice with a fork. Thaw, drain and pat dry the prawns. Dice the vegetables and beat the eggs. Keep raw prawns and their utensils away from cooked food.

   

2. Step 2Scramble the egg

   Heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Add 5 ml of the neutral oil and scramble the beaten eggs into soft curds, about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean bowl; they will finish heating in the rice.

   

3. Step 3Sear the prawns

   Add another 5 ml oil and spread the prawns in one layer. Stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes until opaque throughout; larger pieces may need longer. Transfer to a fresh clean bowl, not the bowl that held the raw prawns.

   

4. Step 4Soften the vegetables

   Add the remaining 10 ml oil, then the carrot, onion and spring onion whites. Stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes until the carrot is tender-crisp and the onion begins to soften.

   

5. Step 5Add the rice

   Add the cold rice. Spread it out over the hot wok, then turn and toss with a spatula. If the wok is crowded, divide into two batches rather than steaming a deep mound.

   

6. Step 6Separate the grains

   Stir-fry for about 3–4 minutes, breaking up clumps, until the rice is hot throughout. Drizzle in the soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to coat evenly.

   

7. Step 7Return egg and prawns

   Return the cooked prawns and egg, with the spring onion greens. Toss for about 1–2 minutes until the whole dish is steaming hot, the egg is cooked and the prawns are opaque and firm. If a prawn is thick enough to probe, check its centre reaches 63°C. For small prawns, check several are opaque and firm throughout; continue cooking if needed.

   

8. Step 8Serve immediately

   Spoon into warm bowls and eat straight away. Reheat chilled rice only once; make just enough for the meal and avoid cooling this cooked fried rice for another reheating cycle.

   

Watch it in 41 seconds

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Why this version works

• Thaw and dry the prawns so they sear without flooding the wok.
• Chilled rice separates into grains; break up the clumps before cooking.
• Cook egg and prawns separately, keeping the egg soft and the seafood juicy.
• A small batch gives a home hob enough heat to fry the rice.

Swaps and variations

• Smaller 71/90 raw peeled prawns: use the same 350 g weight, leave them whole and start checking earlier.
• Large raw prawn cutlets: remove tails, cut into smaller pieces and cook until opaque throughout; check the centre reaches 63°C.
• Lighter oil option: use 10 ml neutral oil across the three stages in a good nonstick pan. Keep the same rice and protein amounts; no percentage calorie claim is made.

Nutrition per serve

Per-serving estimates use FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database Release 3 and the stated ingredient proxies. All listed oil and sauce are counted; actual values vary by brand, yield and portion.

Questions about Prawn Egg Fried Rice with Frozen Prawns and Chilled Rice

Sources and credit

Method adapted by the Umall recipe team from the sources below. Quantities are our own, adjusted for Australian kitchens and Umall products.

• 蔡小益, 愛料理 — 醬油蝦仁炒飯
• Bill Leung, The Woks of Life — Shrimp Fried Rice
• Nagi, RecipeTin Eats — Fried Rice

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