KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — This is a definite classic in my family. We would clean up every single grain of rice from our bowl whenever it was served, and once I started cooking, this was one of the first dishes I ever made.
The inclusion of the salted fish, as common as it sounds, is really a stroke of genius. Ikan masin, as us Malaysians call it, gives the fried rice the perfect added taste jolt, and that pungent, mouth-watering fragrance always lures me to the dining table like a magnet.
Salted fish is one of the oldest forms of preserved foods, invented way before mankind discovered the wonders of refrigeration.
Today, salt fish is commercially processed and enjoyed by everyone.
When making this dish, I recommend using rice which is about a day old. This is because the grains won't stick together then unlike the starchier textures you get from freshly cooked rice.
I always cook it over high heat as this allows the rice to be evenly coated and seasoned as it is tossed around the wok.
Also, don’t forget to tone down on your usage of salt, as you already have salted fish. You are sure to want a second or maybe even a third helping once you have finished off your first.
Fried rice with salted fish
Serves 4
Cooking time: 10 minutes
*Food Safety Note: Do not use cooked rice that has been refrigerated for more than four days.
Recipe:
3 cups cooked overnight rice
200gm thinly sliced pork
200gm tiger prawns
3 tablespoons fried small ikan bilis (fried Chinese anchovies)
1 small piece of salted fish, cut into small square pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
½ tablespoon sugar
Dash of black pepper
2 stalks finely chopped spring onions
Method:
1) Fry salted fish in a saucepan with some oil over medium heat.
2) Remove salted fish from saucepan and use remaining oil to fry garlic and shallots.
3) After 2 minutes, add in prawns and pork.
4) Season with dark soy sauce, sugar and pepper.
5) Add overnight rice and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.
6) Garnish with spring onions and fried ikan bilis.
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