FRIED RICE WITH CHINESE SAUSAGE
1/4 cup medium diced carrot
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 ounces Chinese sausage (a firm, dry sausage that gives a savory, smoky flavor), medium dice (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup minced onion
3/4 cup medium diced shiitake mushroom
3/4 cup roughly chopped napa cabbage
2 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice, chilled (do not use overcooked rice)
1 teaspoon salt OR as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup snow peas, cut in half
8 ounces shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce OR as needed (optional)
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Blanch carrots until they are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until fat is rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add onions. Stir-fry until they are aromatic and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add carrots and cook until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and allow it to heat up. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add rice, salt and pepper and stir-fry until rice is hot and begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add snow peas and shrimp and cook until snow peas are bright green and shrimp is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add remaining oil to sides of wok and drizzle eggs around top of rice. As eggs cook, fold into rice.
Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and soy sauce, if using. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
From “Flavors of Asia,” by Mai Pham and The Culinary Institute of America.