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jerk shrimp fried rice done on the Traeger flatrock

Easy Jerk Shrimp Fried Rice on the Traeger Flatrock

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jerk shrimp fried rice done on the Traeger flatrock

If you’ve been around CaribbeanPot.com for a while, you’ll know we’ve done Shrimp Fried Rice before, but that version was cooked indoors in a wok. This time, we’re taking things outside and firing up the Traeger Flatrock griddle to make this incredible Jerk Shrimp Fried Rice.

The intense heat from the hot griddle gives everything a wicked sear and, in my humble opinion, takes the overall flavor to another level. You get little bits of char, a subtle smoky undertone, and the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil caramelize beautifully as everything comes together. The result is bold, smoky, and packed with flavor.

If this recipe piques your interest, may I also recommend trying my Jerk Chicken Fried Rice, Turkey Fried Rice, Ackee and Saltfish Fried Rice, the ever-popular Tuna Fried Rice, and, of course, how can anyone talk about fried rice without mentioning my Festive Pineapple Fried Rice?

ingredients for jerk shrimp fried rice

Ingredient Guide

Large shrimp Delicate, sweet, and quick-cooking, shrimp soak up the jerk marinade while adding a hearty protein to the fried rice.

Spicy jerk marinade Brings authentic Jamaican flavor with bold spices, herbs, and just the right amount of heat.

Olive oil Helps coat the shrimp evenly while preventing the marinade from sticking.

Vegetable oil A neutral oil that stands up well to the high heat of the griddle.

Onion Adds sweetness and depth of flavor as it cooks.

Red bell pepper Contributes sweetness, color, and a slight crunch.

Yellow bell pepper Adds another layer of sweetness and vibrant color.

Cabbage Gives the fried rice extra texture and stretches the vegetables without overpowering the dish.

Cooked rice Day-old or chilled rice gives you separate, fluffy grains instead of sticky fried rice.

Dark soy sauce Adds rich color and deep savory flavor.

Toasted sesame oil Brings a nutty aroma and finishes the fried rice beautifully.

Oyster sauce Adds richness, umami, and helps caramelize everything on the hot griddle.

Scallions Freshen the finished dish with mild onion flavor and color.

Shopping Made Easy

  • Most supermarkets will carry everything needed for this recipe.
  • Jamaican jerk marinade is easiest to find in Caribbean grocery stores or the international foods aisle.
  • Frozen shrimp work well as long as they’re completely thawed and patted dry.
  • If possible, cook your rice the day before and refrigerate it overnight for the best texture.

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

  • A screaming hot griddle is what gives this fried rice its signature smoky flavor and slight char.
  • Have every ingredient prepped before you begin because the cooking process moves quickly.
  • Avoid overcooking the shrimp by removing them early and adding them back at the end.
  • The steam pan technique shown in the video helps speed up cooking without over-softening the vegetables.
  • Too much steam at the end will make the rice soggy, so only cover it briefly.
jerk shrimp fried rice done on the Traeger flatrock

Easy Jerk Shrimp Fried Rice on the Traeger Flatrock

The high heat of the Traeger Flatrock creates beautifully seared vegetables, smoky shrimp, and perfectly caramelized sauces in this easy jerk shrimp fried rice recipe. It's a quick Caribbean-inspired meal that's packed with bold flavor and comes together in minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Caribbean Classics, Easy Caribbean Recipes, Featured, In Season, Rice & One-Pot, Seafood & Fish, Summer Recipes
Cuisine General Caribbean
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 lb large shrimp cleaned and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons spicy jerk marinade
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1/4 lb cabbage roughly chopped
  • 4 cups cooked rice chilled or day-old
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 3/4 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 3 scallions roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Season the cleaned and deveined shrimp with the spicy Jamaican jerk marinade and olive oil. Mix well and allow them to marinate for about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare all of the vegetables. As with any fried rice recipe, everything cooks quickly, so having all of your ingredients prepped and within reach makes the cooking process much easier.
    prepared vegetables for making jerk shrimp fried rice
  • Heat the Traeger Flatrock, or any flat-top griddle, over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and spread it over a fairly large cooking surface.
  • Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute, tossing so they cook evenly. Then set them aside so they don't overcook and become chewy. Be mindful that when the jerk marinade hits the hot griddle surface, it'll create spicy fumes that can potentially choke you. As you'll see in the video below, I wasn't immune to it either.
  • Add the remaining vegetable oil, followed by the onion, bell peppers, and cabbage. Stir-fry quickly. As you'll see in the video below, I covered everything with a steam pan for about 30 seconds to help speed up the cooking process.
  • Add the chilled rice. I highly recommend using day-old or well-chilled rice, as it gives you a much grainier finished fried rice instead of a soft, sticky texture.
    rice added to vegetable on flatrock making jerk shrimp fried rice
  • Top with the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Stir everything together until evenly coated. Reduce the heat to medium at this point, as you want the sauces to caramelize without burning.
    traeger flatrock fried rice
  • After about 2 minutes, return the cooked shrimp, along with any accumulated juices, to the griddle and stir everything together to complete the jerk shrimp fried rice. I did put the steam pan back on for another 30 to 60 seconds, but no longer, as too much steam will create moisture and make the rice soggy.
    hot off the traeger flatrock griddle, shrimp fried rice
  • Fold in the chopped scallions and serve hot or warm with a side of Classic Caribbean Fruit Punch.
    delicious jerk shrimp fried rice

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

 
 

Can I use freshly cooked rice for jerk shrimp fried rice?

Freshly cooked rice will work, but chilled or day-old rice produces a much better fried rice with separate grains and less moisture. If you have freshly cooked rice, spread it evenly on a tray and allow it to air dry for at least an hour.

Can I make this recipe in a wok?

Absolutely. In fact, I have an indoor wok version of Jerk Shrimp Fried Rice already on CaribbeanPot.com. This version simply takes advantage of the high heat and extra surface area of the Traeger Flatrock.

Why do the jerk fumes make you cough?

When the jerk marinade hits the extremely hot griddle, the spices and scotch bonnet pepper release spicy fumes into the air. Depending on the heat level of your marinade, those fumes can definitely make you cough or even feel like you’re choking for a moment, so be prepared.

Can I use another protein?

Yes. Chicken, turkey, leftover roast pork, or even saltfish all work well with this same fried rice technique.

Why shouldn’t I cook the shrimp all the way at the beginning?

Shrimp cook very quickly. Removing them after about a minute keeps them juicy, and they’ll finish warming through when added back to the fried rice. The real risk is ending up with rubbery shrimp.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Pepper Shrimp Fried Rice.

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In previous recipes I’ve shared why we have such a strong Chinese influence on the culinary landscape of the Caribbean. Especially in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana and the other islands of the region where the decedents of Chinese indentured laborers call home. As the title suggest, this is a SPICY dish and it’s based on the original recipe for making Pepper Shrimp I shared back in 2017.

You’ll Need…

4 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 1/2 lbs medium shrimp (cleaned)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Tamari
2 tablespoon corn starch
Oil for frying the Shrimp (veg oil – 2 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoon veg oil
7 cloves garlic (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 HOT pepper (diced)
1 1/2 tablespoon Mushroom Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1/2 medium bell pepper (diced)
2 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Notes! The rice was cooked in salted water. I used Tamari but any light Soy sauce will work. For the heat I used a Fatalii pepper, typically I’d use a combination of Scotch Bonnet and Fatalii, however not everyone can handle as much heat. That said, use any of your fav hot peppers and in the amounts you can handle. Should you not have the Mushroom Soy Sauce, you may use any dark Soy Sauce.

The first step is to prep and fry the shrimp. Place your clean and deveined shrimp in a bowl, add the salt, black pepper and Tamari. Stir well, then add the corn starch and stir to coat.

I used a wok but you may use any pot or frying pan you prefer. Fry the shrimp on a medium heat for 1 minute then remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil. Yes shrimp cooks quickly and I’d hate for you to overcook these. Plus they will cook further later on.

I reserved 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil I used in frying the shrimp, in the same wok and had it on a medium flame. To that I added the onion, garlic and bell pepper. To avoid the garlic burning I turn the heat down a little and cooked it for 2 minutes. At this point I added my hot pepper (seeds too) and gave everything a good mix. Be sure to vent your kitchen or the frying Fatalii pepper (whatever pepper you use) will trigger breathing problems (I choked).

As soon as the pepper heats up and starts releasing it’s heat (about 2-3 minutes), I went in with the previously fried shrimp and tossed to coat with that lovely peppery based we made.

After 2-3 minutes I pushed the shrimp to one side of the wok and added the chilled (previous cooked) rice.

On the rice I added the Hoisin and Mushroom Soy sauces, as well as the sesame oil. Gave it a good mix, then I mixed in the pepper shrimp to combine.

Once everything is combined it’s time to taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I explained why I didn’t any salt (besides in the shrimp) in the video below. I allowed it to cook for another 2-3 minutes to make sure the rice heats through and the flavors all have an opportunity to combine.

As I turned off the stove I added the chives and parsley and stirred! You’re DONE! Finishing with the chives gave me a lovely bright garlic/onion ending flavor.

Pepper Pork Fried Rice.

1 Comment on Pepper Pork Fried Rice.

Somehow it seems that Caribbean People always got some leftover rice in a ‘butter dish’ (any plastic reusable container) in the fridge. And after filming the Tantalizing Pepper Pork video demo, I thought.. why not a fried rice for lunch. BTW old school Caribbean use the term “butter dish” as back in the day, margarine and butter came in plastic containers with lids and we’re famous for repurposing such containers. There’s always one or 10 in my parent’s fridge with leftover food.

You’ll Need…

2-3 cups pre cooked rice (chilled)
1 – 1 1/2 cups pepper pork (small pieces)
1 1/2 tablespoon veg oil
2 scallion (chopped)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (diced)
1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

This is a very quick dish to put together, so may I recommend that you have all the ingredients prepared in advance.

Heat the oil on medium flame in your wok or frying pan, then add the onion and garlic, stir and cook until you start seeing brown edges on the garlic (1-2 minutes). The goal is to NOT burn the garlic.

Add he pork (cut into skinny small pieces) to the pot and stir to heat through and to take on more flavor from the garlic and onion.

I had a couple Wiri Wiri peppers left from cooking the Pepper Pork, so I added them to the pot (OPTIONAL) to give the dish more KICK!

3 minutes later add the sesame oil and oyster sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the rice and top with the mushroom soy sauce.

Mix everything well and heat through. Finish with the chopped scallions and enjoy.

Feel free to add cabbage, bell pepper, bean sprouts, carrots etc if you wish to use up what you’ve got in the fridge or to simply personalize this fried rice to your liking. The rice was cooked in salted water and chilled. Chilled rice will give you a more grainy fried rice and prevent the mushy texture so many of us dislike.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Salmon fried rice in a pan on the stove

Quick And Simple Salmon Fried Rice.

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salmon fried rice (7)

Here’s a quick and tasty recipe putting leftover rice (which you may already have in the fridge) and a can of salmon to work, for what I assure you is an incredible one-pot dish. While the use of the can (or ‘tin’ as we would normally say in the Caribbean) may seem a little strange if you’ve never tried it… I quickly learned that it truly is a great addition to what could potentially be a boring fried rice. This is one of the many go-to recipes I employ when lunch-time hits and I have some rice in the fridge.

You’ll Need…

2 tablespoon veg oil
1 clove garlic (diced fine)
1 cup bell peppers (colors optional)
5-8 string beans (any beans will work)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 bird’s eye pepper (cut into pieces)
2-3 cups leftover rice (chilled)
1-2 cups cabbage (cut chunky)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 can salmon (wild Pacific)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with  your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Soy Sauce.. you will need a gluten free version.

Note! This recipe is enough for 2-3 people… use more rice for a bigger party. If you’re using freshly cooked rice, I’d recommend chilling it a bit before using. It will give you a more grainy fried rice.

Prep the ingredients in advance (cut, chop and dice) as this dish will cook in about 5 minutes.

Heat the oil is a wide pan or wok on medium flame and add the garlic.. cook for 10 seconds then add the bell peppers, and string beans. Stir and cook for another 50 seconds to soften a bit. Then add the sesame oil and stir well.

salmon fried rice (1)

salmon fried rice (2)

Now add the cabbage, bird’s eye pepper (chopped into pieces) and the Chinese cooking wine. Stir and cook for a minute. Then it’s time to add the salmon (drain out all the liquid it came in the came with) .. please be mindful when stirring now as you don’t want to over-break the salmon pieces.

salmon fried rice (3)

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Here is where you now add the chilled rice along with the soy sauce and stir. The heat should still be on medium high. Please note that my rice was cooked in salted water.

salmon fried rice (5)

Please try to maintain a high heat and don’t cover the pot/pan and any time. As soon as the rice heats though, the salmon fried rice is done and ready to enjoy.

salmon fried rice (6)

A quick and tasty way to put leftover rice to use and the added bonus is.. it’s super fast to prepare.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

 

 

Quick Ham And Turkey Fried Rice.

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ham fried rice (11)

A few days after Christmas 2016 I was joined by my good friend Marc, who you would have been introduced to some time ago. Marc (Chef Marc) is a fellow Trinbagonian who’s been knocking out the recipes and food-travel videos on his YouTube Channel “Chef Marc“. This time Marc will be putting the leftover ham and turkey from the Christmas holidays for (one of) his signature fried rice. Using ingredients we already had in the fridge, Marc blazed through this recipe in a few minutes.

You’ll Need…

4 cups cooked rice (Jasmine)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 bell pepper (diced)
2 cups cabbage (chopped)
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 cups ham (cubed)
2 cups turkey (chopped)
3-4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce *
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 bird pepper (bird’s eye)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic (fine dice)

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce – regular soy sauce will have a gluten element to it.

Start by prepping all the ingredients as this recipe calls for high heat and fast cooking.

ham fried rice (1)

ham fried rice (2)

Heat a wok or wide pan on a med/high heat, then go in with two tablespoons of the olive oil and the bird’s eye pepper. Marc gave then each pepper a couple cuts to help release some of their ‘heat’. Immediately after he went in with the cubed ham as he wanted to render out some of the fat (for flavor) and the toast the edges.

ham fried rice (3)

After about 1 minute it’s time to go in with the chopped turkey and mix well. You may need to add another tablespoon of oil if the pan is getting too dry.

ham fried rice (4)

Also add the diced bell pepper and sliced cabbage, toss and mix well. Then go in with the black pepper and garlic (he mentioned that he likes to add his garlic late in the cooking process, as to not risk burning it). At this point you can add the salt and sesame oil, stir! It’s now time to add the rice and break up any clumps. TIP! Be sure to use day-old rice or rice that been cooked in salted water and chilled. This will give you a lovely grainy texture to the fried rice.

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After the rice is heated through (about 1-2 minutes), add the frozen peas and drizzle on the soy sauce. Stir well.

ham fried rice (8)

ham fried rice (9)

You’re dun! Turn off the stove and enjoy. The key is to cook on a relatively high heat, have your ingredients prepped and to not be intimated. The recipe, cooking and being in the kitchen should be fun and we do hope you’ll put this recipe to the test and enjoy the time in the kitchen with your family.

ham fried rice (10)

 

I’d like to take a minute to hit Chef Marc a Massive THANKS and to invite him to pass though the CaribbeanPot.com kitchen whenever he feels like feeding us. With both delicious food and knowledge.

Are you following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram yet? Join in on the fun today!

Jerk Chicken Fried Rice.

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jerk chicken fried rice (11)

Having leftover rice is quite normal in our home as I purposely make extra and store it in the fridge for making quick and tasty fried rice dishes. However when it comes to having ‘extra’ jerk chicken.. let’s just say that we’re true carnivores! With our girls off in college, sometimes I tend to forget and end up cooking the same amounts as if they were still living at home. Thus the extra jerk chicken in this case.

I love one pot dishes, especially ones where all the main components are already cooked.. like the rice and chicken.

 

You’ll Need…

4 cups cooked rice (I used long grain brown rice)
2 cups diced jerk chicken
2  scallions
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup cabbage (chopped)
1 carrot diced
1/2 large onion diced
1 clove garlic (diced fine)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup peas (frozen – thawed)

* optional – 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Note: To make this dish fully gluten free ensure that the marinade you used in making the jerk chicken was gluten free (pay attention to the soy sauce used) and double check the oyster and soy sauce called for in the ingredient list above. White rice will also work excellent with this dish.

It’s important that the rice be kept in the fridge (even if it’s fresh rice you cooked specifically for this fried rice dish) as it will help it maintain a grainy texture when this jerk chicken fried rice is done cooking. Dice the onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper and scallion. Then strip the jerk chicken off the bones (I used both white and dark meat).. try to keep as much of the marinade that’s cooked onto the chicken pieces as it will really help make this, ‘jerk chicken’ fried rice.

 

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Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep/wide pan, then add the diced onion, garlic and black pepper (add the grated ginger at this point as well – if using), turn the heat down to low and cook for 2 minutes. Then raise the heat to medium and add the bell pepper, frozen peas and carrots – cook for 3 minutes.

 

jerk chicken fried rice (4)

 

Add the oyster sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce along with the pieces of chicken and cook for another 2 minutes.

 

jerk chicken fried rice (5)

 

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Now go in with the chopped cabbage and chilled rice. Mix well and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until everything is heated through. Top with the scallions and you’e done. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt as both the rice and chicken was already cooked with salt and the soy sauce we added will be enough to perfectly season this fried rice. However, do taste near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly.

 

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Your kitchen will have that wicked aroma of islands as the pieces of jerk chicken combines with the other ingredients to give you one of the best one pot rice dishes you’ve ever had. If you want you can also intensify the ‘jerk’ flavors by adding a teaspoon of you favorite jerk marinade to the mix (when we added the other sauces) and don’t forget you can kick this up even more with the addition of some finely diced “Caribbean sunshine” – scotch bonnet pepper.

 

 

 

Festive Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice.

10 Comments on Festive Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice.

This Caribbean inspired vegetarian pineapple fried rice is a wonderful way to use leftover rice you may have in the fridge and it must be noted that it is not a traditional Caribbean dish. However with use of wonderful Caribbean flavors you’ll find that you’ll purposely make extra rice just so you can have this dish on the regular.

You’ll need…

4 cups cooked rice (day old)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bird’s eye pepper (or 1/4 scotch bonnet)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 large onion (diced)
1 bell pepper (1/2 yellow + 1/2 red)
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scallion
1/2 carrot (diced finely)
1 stalk celery (diced finely)
1.5 cups pineapple (1/4 inch pieces)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder

optional – toasted coconut flakes – topping.

Notes: If you’re using freshly cooked rice (or leftover), may I suggest that you allow it to cool in the fridge for a few hours. This will give you a lovely grainy finish to the rich dish. I used parboiled brown rice, but you’re free to use any rice you like.

Start by prepping all your vegetables as this is a very quick dish to put together. Next heat the vegetable oil on a medium heat  in a deep pot (I used a non stick pot to cut back on the amount of oil I use) and add the diced onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and let that cook for a couple minutes. Then add the diced celery, carrot and bell peppers and allow it to cook for 3 minutes (low heat).

Toss in the bird’s eye pepper (whole), grate in the ginger, add the black pepper, salt and curry.. raise the heat to medium and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the curry powder to bring out all the flavors of the spices in the curry powder. Then add the diced pineapple (you can use drained canned pineapple if you want) along with the soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin sauce. Stir well.

Raise your heat to med/high and toss in the rice (note – if the rice was in the fridge as I suggested, take it out about 15 minutes before you start this dish) and mix well. The idea here is to warm the rice through and help it take on that wonderful flavor base we created. Let it cook for about 4-6 minutes, then top with the chopped scallion and turn off the heat. Serve!

You’ll notice that I didn’t use much salt as my rice was already cooked in salt and the soy sauce will contain much salt. Also notice that I didn’t cut or break the birds eye pepper as I wanted the flavor without the raw heat. But you can certainly cut them finely for that added kick.  This is best served warm so your guests will really appreciate the combination of flavors we created with this tasty Caribbean inspired Vegetarian pineapple fried rice. A great way to add extra flavors and texture is to top the finished rice with some toasted shredded coconut.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Shrimp Fried Rice.

16 Comments on Shrimp Fried Rice.

After striking gold with readers after posting the vegetable fried recipe earlier in the year, I knew I just had to post this shrimp fried rice recipe for you all. Not only is shrimp fried rice an excellent one pot meal on it’s own, it’s also a great way to use left-over rice you may have from a previous night’s dinner. I must confess that this was not a planned recipe as I would normally do… before setting up the cameras etc. There was some serious noise originating out of my belly and I knew I had to get some food down there before a fete broke out. It was then that I noticed that there was some cooked rice in the fridge.. one thing led to the next and I was enjoying a lovely lunch in the back yard within half hour. This shrimp fried rice takes less than 6 minutes to cook, but I had to wait for the shrimp to thaw or things would have been much faster.

You’ll Need…

1/4 cup small shrimp (cleaned/deveined)
1 medium onion
1 scallion
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon soya sauce
1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups rice (cooked) * see note below
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Notes: You can also add added flavor by adding a couple cloves of crushed garlic the same time you add the grated ginger. I used brown rice which I cooked in salted water and allowed to chill in the fridge (it was left over rice). It’s important that you use chilled rice to get that lovely grainy texture of good fried rice.

Clean, devein and wash your shrimp.. then pat dry. In a small bowl place the shrimp and season with the black pepper and 5 spice powder. Let that marinate as you prepare the other ingredients. If you don’t know how to clean and devein shrimp, watch this video: How To Clean And Devein Shrimp.

Chop the onion, scotch bonnet pepper and scallion, then cube the carrot and celery (try to maintain the same size for even cooking).

Place your wok or non stick frying pan on medium/high heat and add the vegetable oil. Now add the onion and grated ginger and give it a good stir. You’ll be amazed at the lovely aroma which will hit you smack in your face. Now add the cubed celery and carrot as they will need to cook a bit so you have a slight crunch as you enjoy this dish. Allow that to cook for a minute or two, then add the seasoned shrimp and stir. Here is where you would also add the chopped scotch bonnet pepper slices (gotta have that Caribbean sunshine).

Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce to the pan.. don’t get alarmed when it get the entire pot blackish, it will balance off once we add the rice. Let that warm through for about 30 seconds, then add the chilled rice and give it a good stir.

It’s very important that you stir this very well so the rice is coated in that lovely colour and flavor we built. It should take about 2-3 minutes for the rice to heat through and pick all those exciting flavors of this shrimp fried rice. Now top with the chopped scallion and stir well.

You will notice that we did not add any salt  as the soy sauce will add the element for us, plus the rice was cooked with salt. If you find that the overall colour is not dark enough  for you, you can certainly add more soy sauce as necessary. Do remember that the more you add, it will change the saltiness of the finished dish.

The idea is to have everything prepared as you want to cook on a relatively high heat..FAST!

It was a day of leftovers as I included a piece of wicked jerk chicken I made the day before when we had some friends over. If shrimp is not your thing, you can certainly use chicken (slice thin) for an amazing chicken fried rice.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.