Macanese-style fried rice with baby scallops and dried shrimp
Macanese fried rice is the a love child of Portuguese and Chinese cuisine. Perfect instead of your weekend takeaway.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- ½ jalapeño chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 3 small spring onions, thickly sliced
- 120g/4½oz baby scallops, cleaned
- 2–3tbsp dried shrimp
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 2–3 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce or tamari
- pinch salt
- pinch ground white pepper
- 1 lemon, juice only
- small handful coriander leaves and stems, finely chopped
Method
Put the rice in a sieve and wash until the water runs clear to rinse away the excess starch. Transfer the rice to a lidded saucepan with 400ml/14fl oz water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
Remove from the heat and fluff up the grains, then transfer to a tray and fan out – this will ensure the rice is dry enough to make fried rice.
Heat a wok over a high heat, add the vegetable oil and give the oil a swirl. Add the garlic, shallots, chilli and spring onions and stir for a few seconds. Add the baby scallops and dried shrimp and toss together for 15 seconds. Season with the rice wine, then add the cooked rice to the wok and mix well so the rice absorbs all the flavours.
Season with the light soy sauce, salt and white pepper and toss well until all the rice is a light brown. Add the lemon juice and toss the coriander through. Give it a final stir, then remove from the heat, transfer to serving bowls and serve immediately.
