Prawn Fried Rice with Egg and Spring Onions

Ingredients

• 300g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 700g cooked long-grain or jasmine rice, cold and day-old
• 150g frozen peas, defrosted
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 20g fresh ginger, finely grated
• 6 spring onions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced, to serve
• soy sauce, to drizzle, to serve
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan, to serve
• 15g fresh coriander, leaves picked, to serve
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve
• Prawn crackers, to serve
• Quick cucumber pickle (sliced cucumber with rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar and salt), to serve
• Sriracha or sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Method

1. Get a large wok or wide frying pan over the highest heat you have and leave it for a full 2 minutes until it's smoking — this is the whole game. No shortcut. Cold pan means soggy rice.
2. Pat the prawns dry on kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper — water means steam, and steam means no char. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then lay the prawns in a single layer. Don't crowd the wok; if it looks tight, work in two batches. Cook for 2 minutes without touching them until pink and blistered at the edges, then scoop out and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil, then tip in the white spring onion slices, garlic and ginger. Toss for 30 seconds — just until fragrant and pale gold. Don't burn the garlic; it turns the whole wok bitter and there's no coming back.
4. Tip in the cold rice and break up any clumps with the back of the spatula. Press it flat against the wok and leave undisturbed for 2 minutes until the base smells toasty and the grains start to crackle, then toss and press again for another minute. Cold day-old rice is the rule — fresh rice steams and clumps.
5. Push the rice to one side of the wok. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty space and scramble for 1 minute until just set but still glossy, then fold through the rice in ribbons.
6. Add the peas and toss for a minute until heated through and bright green.
7. Return the prawns with any resting juices. Pour the soy sauce and oyster sauce down the hot side of the wok so they sizzle and caramelise as they hit, then toss for 1 minute until everything is glossy and lacquered.
8. Pull off the heat and drizzle over the sesame oil. Taste — most of the salt comes from the soy, but a final pinch or an extra splash ties it together. Adjust now, not at the table.
9. Divide between bowls. Scatter over the green spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, sliced red chilli and coriander leaves, then squeeze a lime wedge generously over each bowl — the acid cuts straight through the soy and sesame. Serve with prawn crackers, cucumber pickle and chilli sauce alongside.