SPICY BELACHAN FRIED RICE
Spicy, umami fried rice is very moreish. Diced cucumber is a surprisingly nice touch. It provides a refreshing note not found in other fried rice recipes. This recipe is adapted from "Cooking for the President".
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 3 g dried chillies
- 12 g belachan
- 80 g shallots
- 45 g dried prawns
- 20 g candlenuts
- 30 g red chillies
- 3 bird's eye chillies
- 8 medium-size prawns, 150 g
- 1 large cucumber, 450 g
- 4 tbsp oil
- 800 g day-old long grain rice
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
- 1
Trim stems from dried chillies. Cut 2 cm long. Soak in warm water till soft, about 30 minutes. Squeeze dry. Discard water.
- 2
Toast belachan till fragrant and dry.
- 3
Peel shallots. Rinse. Cut into small pieces.
- 4
Rinse dried prawns, candlenuts, red chillies and bird's eye chillies. Cut into small pieces.
- 5
Grind all above ingredients very finely in food processor to make spice paste.
- 6
Shell prawns. Devein and wash. Dice 1½ cm.
- 7
Peel and wash cucumber. Remove core. Dice 4 mm to yield 1½ cups.
- 8
Stir-fry spice paste with oil in a wok over medium-low heat till medium brown and aromatic. Increase heat to high. Mix everything evenly.
- 9
When wok is very hot, add prawns and stir through. Add rice and stir till thoroughly mixed and hot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn off heat. Add cucumber and stir through. Serve immediately.