Shrimp and Zucchini Fried Rice: A Delightful Combination!
Shrimp and Zucchini Fried Rice: A Delightful Combination!
Create a Simple and Delicious Weekend Lunch: Spicy Shrimp and Zucchini Fried Rice
While zucchini is versatile, I particularly love it paired with shrimp. Today, I’m making spicy shrimp and zucchini fried rice because I was craving some comfort food. This dish is also perfect for packing in a lunchbox.
Main Ingredients- 1/2 zucchini (approx. 150g)
- 1/3 carrot (approx. 50g)
- 1/4 onion (approx. 50g)
- 1 green onion (white part mainly)
- 2 bowls of cocktail shrimp (peeled)
- 2 bowls of cooked rice
Spicy Sauce- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 1 tsp)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp oyster sauce (for umami!)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 1 tsp)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp oyster sauce (for umami!)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, finely mince the green onion. This will add a wonderful aroma and blend well with the rice when stir-fried. Finely minced green onion releases its fragrance beautifully and integrates seamlessly with the rice.
Step 2
Finely dice the onion, similar to the green onion. This ensures a pleasant texture in every bite.
Step 3
Dice the zucchini slightly larger than the onion. Zucchini can become mushy if diced too small due to its high water content, so slightly larger pieces will maintain a nice texture.
Step 4
Finely dice the carrot, similar to the onion. This adds color and ensures it cooks evenly with the other vegetables.
Step 5
Have your peeled cocktail shrimp ready. Preparing all your ingredients beforehand makes the stir-frying process much smoother.
Step 6
Next, let’s prepare the flavor-packed sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Step 7
Mix the ingredients thoroughly until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference – feel free to add more sugar or soy sauce for your ideal balance.
Step 8
Now, let’s start stir-frying! Heat some cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Add the minced green onion and sauté slowly until fragrant. Green onions can burn easily, so it’s important to cook them gently on low heat to release their full flavor.
Step 9
Once the green onion is fragrant, add the diced carrots and stir-fry for about 1 minute. This will soften the carrots slightly and bring out their natural sweetness.
Step 10
After the carrots, add the diced onion and stir gently to combine. Since onions and zucchini release a lot of moisture, increase the heat to medium at this point to prevent sogginess.
Step 11
Once the onions are lightly translucent, add the diced zucchini and continue to stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Cook over medium heat to avoid overcooking the zucchini.
Step 12
Now, let’s cook over high heat to evaporate excess moisture. Add the cocktail shrimp and stir-fry until they turn slightly pink. Shrimp cook very quickly; overcooking will make them tough and rubbery. Aim for just a pink color for tender shrimp!
Step 13
When the shrimp have turned pink, add the cooked rice. Break up any clumps with your spatula and stir-fry until the rice is well combined with all the ingredients.
Step 14
Pour in the prepared spicy sauce.
Step 15
Stir-fry evenly over medium-low heat until the sauce coats the rice and ingredients. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Keep stirring until everything is perfectly blended and delicious!
Step 16
Voilà! Your delicious shrimp and zucchini fried rice is ready. Enjoy it hot for the best flavor.
