Thai Basil Shrimp Fried Rice
This Thai basil shrimp fried rice comes together in one wok with juicy seared shrimp, a fiery chili garlic paste, and plenty of fresh Thai basil. It's an easy 20-minute weeknight dinner and a great way to use up leftover rice.
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 10-12 large shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon stock powder
Aromatics
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2-3 bird’s eye chilies
Stir Fry
- 2 cups cooked day-old jasmine or basmati rice
- 1 small onion thickly sliced
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves loosely packed
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil divided
Garnish
- Cucumber sliced with skin on
- Bird’s eye chilies sliced
- Lime wedges
- Fresh Thai basil
Instructions
- Season the shrimp with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Pound the garlic and bird’s eye chilies in a mortar and pestle to form a rough paste.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat until very hot. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 1 minute per side, or until just opaque and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same wok. Add the sliced onion and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until lightly charred around the edges.
- Add the chili-garlic paste and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the wok and scramble briefly, keeping them slightly undercooked.
- Add the cold rice immediately over the eggs. Press down any clumps and toss well so the egg coats the rice.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and toss over high heat until the rice is evenly coated and glossy.
- Return the shrimp to the wok and toss for 20–30 seconds, just until heated through.
- Add the Thai basil, toss briefly, and turn off the heat. Let the residual heat wilt the basil.
- Serve immediately with cucumber, sliced bird’s eye chilies, lime wedges, and fresh Thai basil.
Video
Notes
- Rice: Use cold, day-old rice. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill it uncovered for about an hour.
- Thai basil: Add it with the heat turned off. The residual heat wilts the leaves without turning them dark.
- Protein swap: Replace the shrimp with the same amount of sliced chicken thigh, cooked through and added back at the end. Or skip the protein and add an extra egg.
- Spice level: Use 1 deseeded chili for a milder version or 3 for extra heat.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 23gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 244mgSodium: 1635mgPotassium: 395mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 276IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2mg
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