Dried Scallops Fried Rice with Egg & Chinese Broccoli

05Feb09

瑶柱蛋炒饭

This is my favorite type of fried rice. The Cantonese make this to perfection. Ahhh… I’m already craving for it again. The authentic recipe calls for egg whites only but I always add the yolks in; egg is egg.

Oh yeah, in Chinese culture, fried rice is usually made with leftover rice from the previous night. But since I’m just one person, I make it with freshly cooked rice. Also, in Chinese culture, fried rice isn’t a dish to serve to guests. You’ll get those “how dare you looks”.

[Eggs & peanuts 100% organic]

Ingredients:

• 2-3 egg-whites (well stirred; you can add the yolks as well)
• 10 small dried scallops or 5 large dried scallops (soaked in water for at least 48 hours)
• 3 chopped green onions
• 2-inch ginger, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bundle of Chinese broccoli, cut the stalks from the leaves, chop stalks into thin pieces
• Salt
• Canola oil
• Seafood flavored soy sauce (optional)
• 4 cups of cooked white rice (Kohuko or Jasmine); put in less water when cooking it
• 0.25 cup peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook rice and set aside, refrigerate it (rice must be cold)
2. Use your fingers and pull out every strand in the scallops, remove from water and set water aside
3. Add a tiny bit of oil, stir fry the egg whites first (and with yolks together) on medium heat until done, set aside
4. Add 1 tsp of oil, cook the chopped Chinese broccoli stalks on high heat
5. After 1 minute, add 3 TB soaked scallop water and salt to Chinese broccoli, cook until water evaporates, set aside
6. Add garlic, ginger, green onions, and shredded scallops with 1 TB oil on high heat; note that scallop threads will explode/jump/bounce when touching the hot oil
7. Add salt/seafood soy sauce to scallops
8. Cook scallops for 4-6 minutes, until thoroughly done
9. Add the eggs and Chinese broccoli to scallops and cook for another 4-5 minutes, adding soaked scallop water 1 TB at a time, until steaming
10. Make sure pan is very hot and add cold rice and mix well (add peanuts for crunch)

[100% organic]

If you can’t find Chinese broccoli, you can buy rapini or broccoli rabe from Whole Foods. The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, pungent, and “an acquired taste”. The Italian cultivar is similar to, but much more bitter than, the Chinese cultivar [Chinese Broccoli/芥蘭].

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Tags: chinese broccoli, dried scallops, eggs, family recipes, ginger, green onions, nuts, peanuts, rapini, rice, scallops, seafood, soy sauce