Separate, golden grains of rice fried hard with plump shrimp, ribbons of egg and green onion. Our Shrimp Fried Rice is the upgrade our Castleridge regulars make when a plain rice side will not do.
Good fried rice starts the day before. We cook and cool the rice so the grains firm up and fry loose instead of clumping, then hit it in the wok with egg, shrimp, onion and green onion and a measured amount of soy so the rice toasts rather than steams.
The shrimp are added near the end and cooked just until they curl, which keeps them sweet and springy instead of rubbery. If you are ordering for a mixed table, our Chicken Fried Rice covers anyone avoiding shellfish, and Cantonese Chow Mein is the noodle alternative.
Each order is fried on its own in a hot carbon-steel wok. Cold rice, high heat and constant motion are the whole technique - it is why the rice arrives dry and separate at Martindale, Saddle Ridge or Cityscape rather than heavy and sticky.
Loose grains, never mushy
Cooling the rice before it hits the wok is the step most kitchens skip and the reason ours fries dry.
Sweet and springy
Shrimp go in at the end so they finish just as the rice does, instead of overcooking in the pan.
One wok, one order
Nothing is pre-portioned from a holding tray, which keeps the toasted aroma intact all the way home.