Cantonese Chicken & Salted Fish Fried Rice

CANTONESE CHICKEN & SALTED FISH FRIED RICE

For many Chinese and American-born Chinese, this Cantonese chicken and salted fish fried rice meal is a no-brainer. Even if your dining companions are repulsed by your food choice, if it’s on the menu, you must order it. My friend, there is absolutely no shame about it!

In terms of our non-Asian friends, this salted fish fried rice could be a little too bold. Andrew Zimmern might use one of his insane terms to characterize it at its worst.

Do not click away! If you’ll allow me, I’d want to tell you a story about my first experience with a simple cheese pizza.

All of my grandmother’s adult children and their families arrived in the United States in 1983, with the support of my grandma (between all the uncles, aunts, and cousins, there were 20 of us).

As soon as we landed in the United States, my grandma couldn’t wait to show us around. Even though we’d only been in the country for a single day, she insisted on taking us all to a neighborhood pizzeria in downtown Monticello, NY.

She ordered a cheese pizza and raved about how delicious it was. Even before we had a chance to take a bite, we were gagging.

The cheese’s odor was overpowering—and awful! We couldn’t understand how she was able to eat so much of it without gagging, let alone chowing down on it piece by piece.

My first taste of cheese was like that.

As a result, I’ve developed a taste for pizza and a hankering for cheese in all forms.

Chicken and salted fish fried rice, which sounds terrible, is actually excellent. This dish is a must-have if you enjoy cheese and the mild nuttiness of anchovies that have been cooked and melted.

A strong cross between cheese and anchovies (if you’re still not convinced, you can move on to the next page) is the best way to describe it.

If you’re still here, then there’s still hope for you.

Furthermore, restaurants never give you enough salty fish—sometimes to the point where it’s practically unappetizing (the salty fish is pricey). You might expect to pay up to $100 for a single piece of salt-cured salmon. Dollars. It’s a big deal. It’s okay, though, because you can buy it in small quantities, and a little of it goes a long way).

Try Scallop Fried Rice or Thai Basil Shrimp Fried Rice for a less exotic option.

Just stay with this one, and I’ll guarantee you won’t be disappointed — let’s get started!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 cups of cooked rice
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 cups of finely chopped lettuce
• 1 chicken breast (diced and marinated for 15 minutes using the following ingredients: 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp corn starch to the mixture)
• 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• ½ medium chopped onion
• 1/3-1/2 cup of finely diced Chinese salt-cured fish
• ¼ cup of chopped scallion
• Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toss the chicken with 1 tbsp. of the oil in the wok and cook until just barely browned, about 1 minute total.
2. Add the onion to the wok after heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat (the flame should be screaming the entire time you make this meal). Add the fish once it has turned translucent. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, or until the mixture emits a pungent, foul scent.
3. Afterwards, combine the rice with the chicken, and simmer until heated through, stirring frequently. Salt and pepper to taste are now added to the mixture. Then, add the greens and chopped scallion, and give it everything the last swirl before serving. Serve!