Thursday, February 10, 2011

CEiMB: Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage



It's actually my week to pick a recipe for the group over at Craving Ellie in My Belly to make.  I chose for us to make the Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage from from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week by Ellie Krieger.  I wanted to pick something that would be fast and flavorful and a great weeknight meal.  This recipe literally takes minutes to throw together.  Shrimp is a great choice for a quick meal because it cooks in just a few minutes.  This recipe begins by sauteing ginger, scallions, and shrimp in a very hot skillet, you then add in some cabbage and cook for a few minutes more, which leaves the cabbage a bit crisp without making it soggy.  You then stir-fry cold cooked brown rice and the dish is dressed with soy sauce and sesame oil.  I added a bit of chili-garlic sauce to give it a bit of kick because I thought it would go well together with the other Asian flavors.

The thing I liked the most about this dish was the different textures and how well they worked together.  You have chewy brown rice mixed with crisp cabbage and nutty sesame seeds.  I think it has a prominent ginger flavor and I like the soy and sesame flavors as well.  Next time I might at a bit of honey to balance the saltiness with a bit of sweet, I often do that when I am making teriyaki sauce.  If you like heat, I would definitely recommend adding chili-garlic sauce like I did.  This wasn't a wow dish, but it was a fast flavorful, satisfying dish that is great for a busy weeknight.  Which is what I needed because I worked over 12 hours today.  I am just glad I didn't pick a more complicated recipe.  This is what is so great about Ellie's recipe, always easy, always tasty!  Be sure to check out the CEiMB blogroll to see what other bloggers did with their dish.


Sesame Shrimp Fried Rice with Cabbage


1 tablespoon canola oil
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 pound peeled, cleaned small shrimp
5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
4 cups very cold cooked brown rice
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

Heat the oil in a very large nonstick skillet or wok over a high heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and shrimp and cook stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the cabbage and continue cooking until it begins to soften, but is still somewhat crisp, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp-cabbage mixture to a bowl.
Heat the sesame oil in the same skillet or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook stirring frequently, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp-cabbage mixture back to the skillet, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds and serve.

6 comments:

Joanne said...

This was a great pick Sarah. We really enjoyed it.

Mary said...

This looks like a great pick. I didn't have a chance to make it this week but I hope to make it soon!

M. Tamminga (@oneaprilday) said...

This sounds yummy and easy - I'll have to try it!

Bri said...

Awesome choice, Sarah! Thank you again!

Liz said...

I am making this tonight, so I'm glad to see such good reviews :) Looks great!

Kayte said...

Looks really great, Sarah. Sorry that I have not gotten to it yet, I have missed a few during championship swim season for my son, but I will make it as soon as I can as we love all the ingredients! In the meantime, I can enjoy yours as incentive to get to it!