Salmon is one of those superfoods you keep hearing about. It is packed with vitamins and oils, not to mention other things that are really good for your health. Oh, and did we mention it is really tasty too! You want all that goodness without too much fuss? Check this out. Our salmon fried rice recipe can be whipped up in under half an hour. It’s also a great way to get rid of leftover ingredients. Read on to find out how to make it.
How to Make Salmon Fried Rice
The key to this recipe is being organized. The cooking takes about the same amount of time as the prep, but there are a fair few ingredients. If this sounds like a hassle, don’t worry. Just get it all set up ahead of time, and from there, it is a breeze.
We start this salmon fried rice recipe by making a sort of teriyaki sauce. We do this by mixing soy and sugar. Salty and sweet salmon… Mmm, nice!
From there, we make a kind of stir fry. We find that by sauteing a few different vegetables and ingredients first, we create a flavored oil that can’t wait to soak into those lovely grains of rice.
Before we add the rice, we add a beaten egg. By adding the egg first, you can ensure that it cooks through. This way, it is less likely to make a heavy and stodgy ‘rice omelet’, which you will get if you get it the wrong way around. Once the egg is cooked, you’ll be left with a mix of golden egg and crunchy veg. We shred this and then add our solids. This includes things like peas, scallions, our preprepared soy mixture… Oh, and don’t forget the salmon, of course!
From there, it is a case of frying til perfection… Have a read of our handy hints and tips below to see how to tell when your rice is done!
See Also: What to serve with salmon
Tips and Tricks
- Here’s a great tip to know when your rice is perfect. Keep a close eye on it. Once the grains begin to ‘pop’ and ‘jump,’ then you know it is ready. While fried rice is nice, you must be careful not to overcook it, or it will turn crunchy and brittle.
- Make sure to use cold rice in this dish. If you add warm rice that has only just been cooked, you’ll find that it breaks up easily, and you’ll be left with a soggy mess. We find the best thing is to make a different dish with rice the night before and deliberately put some aside for use the next day.
- Don’t worry about using fresh peas. Frozen work just as well. You don’t even need to defrost them first. Just throw them in with the salmon and let the steam from the hot pan do the work!
- When cooking garlic, be careful not to burn it. You’ll find that by adding it with the bell pepper, the moisture created acts as a sort of ‘buffer’ and prevents the garlic from turning brown and bitter.
- This recipe uses fresh ginger. Here’s a great tip. When peeling ginger, don’t use a knife. Wait, what? That’s right, don’t use a knife… Instead, use a dessert spoon. It’s so much easier and wastes less ginger.
- You don’t have to use day-old rice if you are stuck for time. We’ve tried this recipe with precooked ‘microwave rice,’ and it works pretty well. Don’t microwave your rice first. Just add it straight to the pan!
- The key to this recipe is organization. Prep all of your ingredients first. Slice all the veg, and have everything set up. This will significantly reduce the cooking time.
- If you don’t have green onions, don’t worry. Take a small regular onion and slice it as fine as you can. The taste and texture will be similar. It just won’t look quite as eye-catching!
- We like to use leftover salmon in this recipe. However, don’t worry if you don’t want to cook an entire fish the night before. Two words. Canned salmon. Alright, it isn’t quite as nice as ‘real’ salmon, but once it has been flaked up in your rice, it won’t make too much of a difference.
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Conclusion
How easy was that? Ok, so you’ll have to do a little slicing and dicing beforehand. Trust us. It is well worth it. This dish is great served hot, but we often let some cool and take it with us to work the next day. It’s a really convenient and nutritious lunch! There’s nothing difficult about our smoked salmon fried rice recipe. How did you find it? Let us know in the comments below!
See Also: Spicy Sushi Salmon Bake