Seafood Fried Rice

Food · Asian

Seafood Fried Rice

Large portion of wok-fried rice with shrimp, scallops, egg, green onions, and chili flakes, seasoned with soy sauce

History

Fried rice is believed to have originated in China around 600 AD during the Sui Dynasty, born out of a practical need to use up leftover rice. It spread throughout Asia alongside Chinese emigrant communities, adapting to local ingredients and tastes in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and beyond.

Seafood fried rice became especially popular in coastal regions of southern China and Southeast Asia, where fresh shrimp, scallops, and other ocean ingredients were plentiful. As Chinese cuisine spread globally through the 19th and 20th centuries, seafood fried rice became a staple on Chinese-American and pan-Asian restaurant menus worldwide.

Fun Facts

  • The secret to great fried rice is day-old rice — freshly cooked rice is too moist and tends to clump, while day-old rice dries out slightly in the fridge, giving each grain a better texture when hit with the high heat of a wok.
  • The term 'wok hei' (鑊氣) literally means "breath of the wok" in Cantonese — it refers to the slightly smoky, charred flavor that only a screaming-hot wok can impart, and it's considered the hallmark of authentic fried rice.
  • Scallops are one of the most prized seafood additions to fried rice because they sear beautifully and add a subtle natural sweetness that balances the savory soy sauce.

    • Recipe

    Seafood Fried Rice

    Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked day-old jasmine rice
  • 150g (5 oz) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 100g (3.5 oz) scallops, halved if large
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

    • Instructions

    1. Heat a wok or large skillet over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil, then sear the shrimp and scallops for 1–2 minutes until just cooked. Remove and set aside.

    2. Add the remaining oil to the wok. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble quickly, breaking them into small pieces before they fully set.

    3. Add the day-old rice, pressing it into the wok and tossing vigorously to break up any clumps and coat it in the egg.

    4. Drizzle in the soy sauce and oyster sauce, tossing continuously so the rice is evenly seasoned and develops a light golden color.

    5. Return the cooked shrimp and scallops to the wok. Add the chili flakes and green onions, tossing everything together for another 1–2 minutes.

    6. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper, and serve immediately for the best wok hei flavor.