Chinese Fake-Out

Who knew you could make Chinese food at home that actually TASTES like the real thing!?! I found this recipe for Shrimp Fried Rice on Allrecipes.com and decided to try it. I'll admit, I was nervous since I don't own a wok and was afraid the rice would become total mush. I read somewhere to make the rice one day in advance and refrigerate it until ready to use. This allows the rice to become more firm so it doesn't turn into a soggy mess when you start soaking it with soy sauce. I was really happy with how this dish turned out. Traditional fried rice has eggs in it, but don't let that scare you. You don't taste eggs, they just really contribute to the overall flavor. You can also leave them out if the thought of eggs in your fried rice makes you gag! :) I love that you can control the sodium and ingredients in this recipe, making it much healthier than takeout. Okay, now I'm craving a fortune cookie!

Shrimp Fried Rice (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked rice (cooked the day before and refrigerated overnight)
4 Tbsp vegetable oil + drizzle for cooking shrimp
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined with tails removed
2 eggs
1/4 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions:

1. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Cook shrimp until just cooked; they will turn pink. Set shrimp aside. (Don't over cook the shrimp or they will become rubbery once put into the rice.)
2. Pour 4 Tbsp vegetable oil in large wok or skillet and heat over medium-heat heat until hot and shimmering.
3. Place chopped onions in skillet and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Move onions to side of skillet and add frozen peas and 2 eggs. Place eggs in their own section of the pan and stir them up with a wooden spoon to scramble. Once eggs are broken up into bits, stir onions, peas, and eggs together.

4. Mix in rice and shrimp and continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook an additional 4 minutes, stirring to coat all ingredients.