This is how to cook Yangzhou fried rice
Ingredients
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes
1/3 cup canola oil
4 spring onions, cut into ½ cm slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
50g cured Chinese-style ham (or substitute Italian cured ham)
1 small carrot, cut into ½ cm pieces
2 tbsp bamboo shoots, cut into ½ cm pieces
¼ cup green peas
¼ cup cooked chicken thigh, cut into ½ cm pieces
2 tbsp cooked chicken gizzard, cut into ½ cm pieces
¼ cup small raw prawns, peeled
about 1 tsp salt, to season
3 eggs, lightly beaten
5 cups day-old cooked Jasmine rice, preferably cooked in chicken stock
Method
Remove the stems of the soaked mushrooms and cut the caps into ½ cm pieces. Heat a wok over high heat and add about half the oil. Fry the spring onion and garlic for about 30 seconds and then add the shiitake mushroom, carrot, and bamboo shoot and fry for a further minute. Add the chicken thigh, chicken gizzard, peas and prawns, season with a little salt, and toss until the vegetables are softened and prawns just barely cooked. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Return the wok to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the egg and stir vigorously to break it apart. When the egg is nearly set add the rice and toss well to coat with the pieces of egg. Separate the clumps of rice by pressing them against the side of the wok with the back of your wok spatula. Season generously with salt. You can add a little more oil if necessary. Return the fried ingredients back to the wok and toss to mix well.
