Crab Fried Rice

CRAB FRIED RICE

One of Thailand’s most popular dishes is Crab Fried Rice, which features subtle flavors. Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, and soy sauce are all sparingly to highlight the crab’s flavor. The combination of cilantro, onion, and lime brings out the best in each other.

A Philadelphia Japanese restaurant served me this rice for the first time. It didn’t immediately grab my attention. When I had the leftovers with chili oil, it was clear that the flavors had come to life.

Numerous recipes on this blog call for a generous amount of chile oil to be served alongside the dish. Just enough heat and zing are required to keep the crab flavor intact without overpowering it. And, of course, in the spotlight.

This crab-fried rice awaits!

INGREDIENTS:

• 225g of cooked lump crab meat
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 chopped scallions
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 4 cups of cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 3-4 tablespoons of oil
• 3 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons of minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
• salt
• Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Get started by preparing all of your ingredients, including the ginger, garlic, cilantro, and scallion that serve as aromatics. Additionally, prepare the beaten eggs and leave them aside. You shouldn’t begin cooking until all the ingredients are ready and prepped.
2. In a wok, heat the cooking oil to a medium-high temperature. First, add the ginger and whisk for 30 seconds. The garlic after that. When the garlic is just cooked, add the cooked rice to the pan and turn the heat up to high (before it begins to turn golden). If using leftover rice, stir-fried it for 3 minutes or so until it is thoroughly mixed with the ginger/garlic combination and/or heated through.
3. Add the white pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine to the rice to finish the flavorings. Now is the moment to add salt to taste if you feel it isn’t quite salty enough or if you know you won’t be eating it with more spicy sauce. To mix, stir-fry.
4. Spread the rice out evenly across the wok’s surface using your spatula. Over the rice, evenly distribute the beaten egg. The rice should be stirred until the entire egg is cooked and integrated. The egg coats the rice and creates a deliciously flavorful taste. Much preferable to large, fragmented pieces of scrambled egg throughout.
5. Use your spatula to evenly distribute the rice in the wok before adding the crab. Completely stir-fry the rice after adding the crab. Add the scallion and cilantro when the crab has fully warmed through, and stir-fry for a few seconds until the herbs are barely wilted. Serve with a squeeze of lime and your preferred chili oil for finishing.