Japanese Garlic Fried Rice

Garlicky and buttery, this simple Japanese Garlic Fried Rice topped with garlic chips is a dish I have cooked many times over the years as one of my go-to rice dishes. This fried rice recipe matches so well with a delicious side like succulent grilled shrimp.

Ingredients 

 

• ▢ 4 rice cooker cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (2 rice-cooker-cups (180 ml x 2 = 360 ml) yields roughly 4 servings (4 US cups); see how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, a pot over the stove, an instant pot, or a donabe)
• ▢ 4-6 cloves garlic
• ▢ 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 tsp soy sauce
• ▢ 0.5 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt) (or more for taste)
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 6 stalks parsley

Grilled Shrimp Skewer (Optional – see below)

• ▢ 12 pieces shrimp (medium size)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp sake
• ▢ kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions 

To Prep

• Gather all the ingredients first.
• Cook the rice (stovetop, rice cooker, or Instant Pot). Transfer to a large bowl or baking sheet (more surface) and set aside uncovered to remove moisture. Roughly 60 minutes should be added to the total cook time. You can also reheat the frozen rice to save time as well.
• Cut half of the garlic cloves in thin rounds widthwise (so you see a hole in the center) and mince the other half.
• Remove the parsley leaves from the stems and mince them.

To Cook Garlic Fried Rice

• Add the olive oil to the large frying pan over medium-high heat (or medium heat on a professional stove). Slowly fry the thinly sliced garlic pieces until golden brown. If you add the garlic slices in hot oil, they would burn too fast and you may end up with burnt garlic slices. Transfer to a dish lined with paper towel and keep the garlic infused oil in the pan.
• Add the minced garlic in the same pan and stir fry until golden brown and fragrant.
• Add in butter and swirl around to coat the pan. Then add warm steamed rice. Cold rice would take too long to warm up and the garlic would get too dark (and may burn).
• Break the chunk of rice to separate. The Japanese short grain rice is stickier than other types of rice, so it’s normal that rice is stick to each other, but should not be in huge chunks. Once the garlic oil is coated with the rice, add the soy sauce and toss the fried rice.
• Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste the rice and make sure it is seasoned to your liking.
• Lastly add the chopped parsley and mix all together.

To Serve

• Put the garlic fried rice in a rice bowl, pressing gently to make sure there is no space in the bowl, and invert the rice on a serving plate.

To Make Grilled Shrimp Skewer (Optional)

• If you like to serve the garlic fried rice with grilled shrimp skewers, shell, and devein the shrimp. You can keep or remove the tail. Add sake and coat well with shrimp.
• Skewer 3 shrimp on each damp skewer without leaving spaces. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Lay skewers flat on a greased cast iron pan (or regular frying pan). Cook the shrimp with the lid on about 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through and no longer transparent. Remove the shrimp from the grill and serve with garlic fried rice.

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for a month.

From: Just One Cookbook