African Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice

5 from 6 votes

African Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice

Chicken and shrimp fried rice is the best fried rice you will ever taste. Well flavoured and better than any takeout fried rice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: African

Servings: people

Author: Precious

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups basmati rice sub with parboiled rice
1 1/2 cups shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 pound chicken breast - cut into 1 inch slices (about 1/2 kg)
5 garlic cloves - peeled
1 inch ginger root - peeled
1 sprig parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 small cubes Maggi (about 4g per cube) substitute with 3 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder
1 cup oil - I used canola
1 cup chopped onion (from half a large onion or 1 medium onion)
1 stem green onion - chopped
2 medium carrots - chopped
1 handful green beans - chopped
3/4 cup sweet corn I used frozen
3/4 cup sweet peas I used frozen
Salt

Instructions

Blend together garlic, ginger and parsley with a little water to form a paste.
Season the chicken and shrimp. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the shrimp and 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the chicken. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper over the shrimp and the chicken. Then put half a teaspoon of the garlic-ginger-parsley blend over the chicken and put same (half teaspoon) over the shrimp. Mix both the chicken and shrimp to ensure that the seasoning goes all over them. Set aside.
Wash the rice about 4-5 times to remove the starch. Place in a pot. Add in 2 cups of water a teaspoon of salt, the bay leaves, the curry powder and Maggi. Stir well then cover the rice and set to cook on high heat. When it starts boiling, turn down the heat to medium and let it cook until it absorbs all the liquid. Add 1 more cup of water and let it cook until the liquid is fully absorbed. Cover and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and spread the rice on a large tray to cool. (See note 1 about the rice).
Pour oil into a large pot then heat it for about 3 minutes. Put in the shrimp to cook for about four minutes. Flip halfway through. Take out the shrimp when done.
Put the chicken into the oil to cook for about four minutes like the shrimp. Flip halfway through. Take out the chicken when done.
Put chopped onions and green onions into the oil to saute for about 3 minutes until translucent.
Then add in garlic-ginger-parsley blend and stir well. Let that cook in for about 2 minutes.
Add in carrot and green beans then stir well. Add in sweet corn and peas then stir well.
Add back in chicken and shrimp then stir well. Finally add in the rice and stir until well incorporated.
Let everything sizzle together for about 2 minutes (you do not want to overcook the veggies). Then turn off the heat and serve!

Notes

1. You could boil the rice a day before to facilitate the process of frying. Day-old rice works well because it is cold, dry and won't break easily when you fry it.

2. If you like some heat in your rice, add some hot pepper (habanero, scotch bonnet or chili) when blending the garlic, ginger and parsley.

3. If you prefer the rice to look white, instead of slightly yellow, omit the curry powder.

Nutrition