Hongkong (fragrant harbour) style fried rice

Ingredients

• 225 g / 8 oz / generous 1 cup long grain rice
• about 90 ml / 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water to cover
• 8 shallots or 2 small onions, sliced
• 115 g / 4 oz peeled cooked prawns (shrimp), thawed if frozen
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 115 g / 4 oz cooke pork, cut into thin strips
• 115 g / 4 oz Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong), cooked and sliced at an angle
• 30 ml / 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 115 g / 4 oz / 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 spring onions (scallions), shredded
• 1-2 fresh or dried red chillies, seeded (optional)
• salt and ground black pepper
• coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

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Preparation

• Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the rice and cook for 12-15 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool quickly. Tip into a bowl and chill. Ideally use the next day.
• Heat about 15 ml / 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok over a medium heat, pour in the beaten eggs and allow to set without stirring. Slide the omelette on to a plate, roll it up and with a sharp knife cut into fine strips. Set aside.
• Drain the mushrooms, cut off and discard the stems and slice the caps finely. Heat a wok, add 15 ml / 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and, when hot, stir-fry the shallots or onions until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the prawns and garlic to the wok, with a little more oil if needed, and fry for 1 minutes. Remove the prawns and garlic from the wok and set aside. Add 15 ml / 1 tablespoon more oil to the wok.
• Stir fry the shredded pork and the mushrooms for 2 minutes; add the cooked Chinese sausage slices and heat for a further 2 minutes. Lift out from the wok and keep warm.
• Wipe the wok, reheat with the remaining oil and stir fry the rice, adding more oil if needed so the grains are coated. Stir in the soy sauce, salt and pepper, plus half the cooked ingredients. Add the peas and half the spring onions and toss over the heat until the peas are cooked.
• Pile the fried rice on a heated platter and arrange the remaining cooked ingredients on top, with the remaining spring onions. Add the chilli, if using, and the coriander leaves, to garnish.