SHRIMP FRIED RICE WITH PINEAPPLE AND TOASTED COCONUT
Have you ever heard that Dragon Noodle sauce is also a fantastic stirring sauce for stir-frying? Truth. When I realized that I had a half-pound of shrimp leftover from my previous Dragon Noodle mix, Lime Shrimp Dragon Noodles, I decided to make it again to make Shrimp Fried Rice. Shrimp Fried Rice with Pineapple and Toasted Coconut. Let me be honest: coconut makes it “OMG” good.
The use of long-grain rice that is harvested from the day ensures that you get those beautiful individual grains in your final product, not one huge, messy, sticky mess. Frying the ingredients in separate batches before mixing them all in the final stage ensures that nothing gets overcooked or crowds the wok or skillet, which results in the food being steamed instead of being cooked.
Another tip for cooking rice: using a well-seasoned oven, seasoned wok or cast iron, or any other non-stick cooking surface is ideal as it prevents food items and the rice from sticking. It also lets you reduce the amount of oil you use if you want to.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE SHRIMP?
Yes! If you’re unable to get shrimp for a fair cost in your region (I am lucky in Louisiana), You can cook this using chicken or an entirely vegan version. If I were making this dish vegetarian, I’d include a cut red bell pepper to give an extra splash of flavor and texture.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.18)
2 Tbsp sriracha ($0.10)
1TBSp brown sugar($0.04)
20 oz. can pineapple chunks infused with juice ($1.95)
1/2 bunch of green onions.
Four large eggs ($1.08)
1/4 cup coconut shreds unsweetened* ($0.20)
3 Tbsp cooking oils** ($0.12)
1/2 lb. deveined and peeled shrimp (51/70 count) ($3.00)
4 cups cooked jasmine from the day before rice $0.40 ($0.40)
Handful of fresh cilantro (optional) ($0.16)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sauce by mixing with Soy Sauce and Sriracha along with brown sugar. Rinse the pineapple thoroughly. Cut your green onion. Crack the eggs in an empty bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Incorporate the coconut shreds unsweetened into a large pot (do not use oil) and cook over a medium-low flame. Cook and stir the coconut until it turns golden brown and smells delicious. When golden brown, remove the coconut that is toasted from the skillet into a clean bowl and place it in a bowl until you are ready to use it.
Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil into the skillet and swirl it around until it coats the skillet. Add the shrimp, and cook until the shrimp turns transparent and pink. Remove the shrimp from an empty bowl.
Pour another tablespoon cooking oil into the pan and stir to coat the skillet. Add the whisked eggs and gently mix the eggs when they are cooking. Cook the eggs until they’re cooked, but they are still moist. Take them out of the pan to the bowl where the shrimp are being kept.
Add the drained pineapple as well as the lower part of the green onion (the white ends and a little portion of green) into the pan. Stir until it is warm. Then transfer it into the bowl with the eggs and shrimp.
Add a tablespoon more cooking oil to the skillet, stir to coat it, and then add the cold rice. The rice will cook in the pan until it begins to crackle and sizzle. Then, sir, and let it cook for another minute. Do not over-stir the rice during cooking to keep it from becoming sticky and gritty. Continue cooking the rice until warm and lightly golden.
Then add the shrimp that has been cooked and eggs, as well as pineapple and green onion, back into the skillet. Pour the sauce you prepared over the top, then mix until all is covered in sauce. Let the sauce warm up.
Serve the rice over the coconut that is toasted, as well as any remaining chopped green onion and a few fresh cilantro leaves before serving.
