Belacan Fried Rice is a very simple fried rice recipe. It is the dried shrimp paste or belacan that gives this version of fried rice its unique Southeast Asian flavor.
It is best to use day-old rice when preparing this dish because you want the rice to be dry and slightly hard. The long beans can be substituted with celery or french bean – in fact, any crunchy, non-leafy vegetable will do just as well.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups day-old rice
- ½ cup diced long beans
- ½ cup dried shrimps
- 2 Tbsp dried shrimp paste or belacan
- 4 Tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
- Soak the dried shrimps in water for about 20 minutes. Drain and leave till ready to cook.
- Stir-fry the long beans in a Tbsp of hot oil till they are about ¾ cooked. Keep aside in a bowl or plate.
- Fry the dried shrimps and the belacan in 3 Tbsp of hot oil. As belacan tends to clump together, mash it well with your ladle. When the dried shrimps turn crispy and slightly brown and the belacan smells fragrant, add the rice and partially cooked bean
- Mix well and add salt to taste. Continue frying for another two to three minutes, mixing all the ingredients thoroughly.
Note: This fried rice is delicious served with some diced bird’s eye chilies in soya sauce and sliced raw cucumbers.