Vietnamese Fried Rice with Lap Cheong and Shrimp

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus rice chilling time)
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 32 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice (600 g), cold and loosened
• 6 oz lap cheong (2 links), thinly sliced
• 8 oz shrimp (31/40), peeled and deveined
• 3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 cup peas (140 g), thawed and patted dry
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (whites for wok; 1/3 cup greens for scallion oil)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Neutral oil: 2 tbsp for stir-fry + 2 tbsp for scallion oil
• Light soy sauce: 1 tbsp
• Fish sauce: 1 tbsp for rice + 1 tsp for shrimp marinade
• Sugar: 1 tsp for rice + 1/2 tsp for shrimp marinade
• White pepper: 1/4 tsp for rice + 1/8 tsp for shrimp marinade
• 1 English cucumber, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)

Do This

• 1. Make scallion oil: Put scallion greens and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Heat 2 tbsp oil to 250-275 F until shimmery; pour over greens. Set aside.
• 2. Season shrimp with 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/8 tsp white pepper; rest 10 minutes. Salt cucumber slices (and toss with rice vinegar if using); drain off any liquid.
• 3. Loosen cold rice so every grain separates.
• 4. Heat a wok on high 2-3 minutes until lightly smoking (about 450-500 F). Stir-fry lap cheong 1.5-2 minutes until caramelized; remove.
• 5. Sear shrimp 30-60 seconds per side; remove. Add 1 tbsp oil, softly scramble eggs 30-45 seconds; remove.
• 6. Add 1 tbsp oil, sauté garlic and scallion whites 15 seconds. Add rice; press and sear 1-2 minutes. Season with 1 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp fish sauce (around the edges), 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp white pepper. Add peas; toss.
• 7. Return sausage, shrimp, and eggs; toss 30-60 seconds. Off heat, fold in half the scallion oil. Serve hot with cucumbers and drizzle remaining scallion oil.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Balanced bites: smoky rice, sweet-savory lap cheong, snappy shrimp, creamy egg, and bright peas.
• Fast weeknight win: under 15 minutes of wok time with make-ahead-friendly rice.
• Restaurant-style technique made simple for home kitchens.
• Fresh finish: aromatic scallion oil and crunchy cucumbers keep everything light.

Grocery List

• Produce: Scallions, garlic, English cucumber, lime (optional)
• Dairy: Eggs
• Pantry: Jasmine rice, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), shrimp, frozen peas, neutral oil, light soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper, kosher salt, rice vinegar (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Fried Rice

• 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice (600 g), cold and loosened
• 1 cup peas (140 g), thawed and patted dry
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 scallions, whites thinly sliced (reserve greens for oil)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or rice bran), divided

Proteins

• 6 oz lap cheong (2 links, about 170 g), thinly sliced on the bias
• 8 oz shrimp (31/40 size), peeled and deveined
• 3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of kosher salt

Shrimp Marinade

• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Seasoning for the Rice

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Scallion Oil

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• Pinch kosher salt

For Serving

• 1 English cucumber (about 300 g), thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)
• Lime wedges (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Chill and loosen the rice

For the best texture, use day-old rice. If freshly cooked, spread it on a sheet pan to steam off moisture, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours. Before cooking, gently break up clumps with clean hands so the grains are separate and dry to the touch.

Step 2: Make scallion oil and prep cucumbers

Place the scallion greens and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium until it reaches 250-275 F (about 1-2 minutes; it should shimmer but not smoke). Carefully pour the hot oil over the scallions and stir; set aside.

Toss cucumber slices with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional). Let sit 10 minutes, then drain off any liquid. The cucumbers should stay crunchy and lightly seasoned.

Step 3: Marinate the shrimp

In a small bowl, combine shrimp with 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1/8 tsp white pepper. Marinate for 10 minutes while you heat the wok and prep other ingredients.

Step 4: Sear the lap cheong

Heat a carbon steel wok or large skillet over high heat until just starting to smoke, 2-3 minutes (surface temperature roughly 450-500 F). Add the lap cheong and stir-fry 1.5-2 minutes until the edges caramelize and some fat renders. Transfer to a plate, leaving any rendered fat in the wok.

Step 5: Cook shrimp and eggs

Add 1 tsp neutral oil if the wok looks dry. Add shrimp in a single layer and sear 30-60 seconds per side until just opaque. Transfer to the plate with the lap cheong. Add 1 tbsp oil, pour in beaten eggs, and let set 5-10 seconds. Gently fold for 30-45 seconds until soft and glossy; remove and set with the shrimp and sausage.

Step 6: Fry aromatics and rice

Add the remaining 2 tsp oil if needed. Add garlic and scallion whites; stir-fry 15 seconds until fragrant. Add the rice, spreading it out and pressing it against the hot surface to sear 1-2 minutes. Drizzle 1 tbsp light soy and 1 tbsp fish sauce around the edges of the wok so they sizzle on contact (helps avoid sogginess). Sprinkle in 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Add peas and toss briskly until rice is hot and lightly smoky, 1-2 minutes more.

Step 7: Combine, finish, and serve

Return lap cheong, shrimp, and eggs to the wok. Toss 30-60 seconds to combine and warm through. Remove from heat and fold in half of the scallion oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, drizzling remaining scallion oil over the top. Plate with crunchy cucumbers on the side and lime wedges if you like.

Pro Tips

• Dry rice is non-negotiable: day-old and cold yields distinct, non-gummy grains.
• High heat, quick moves: preheat the wok until lightly smoking to build subtle smokiness without drying the rice.
• Sauce on the edges: pouring soy and fish sauce around the hot wok lets them reduce before touching the rice.
• Pat peas dry: water clinging to frozen peas will steam the rice.
• Stage your cooks: protein out first, then eggs, then rice; recombine at the end for perfect textures.

Variations

• Char siu swap: Use diced Chinese barbecue pork instead of lap cheong for a meatier bite.
• All-seafood: Skip sausage and double the shrimp; add a splash of oyster sauce to deepen savoriness.
• Vegetarian: Omit shrimp and sausage; use diced mushrooms and extra peas, and season with vegetarian oyster sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cook and chill rice up to 3 days ahead. Scallion oil keeps 5 days refrigerated. Leftover fried rice cools quickly and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for 1 month. Reheat in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of oil, stirring until steamy, or microwave in 60-second bursts, stirring between each.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values: 640 calories; 27 g protein; 58 g carbohydrates; 28 g fat; 3 g fiber; 1,450 mg sodium. Values will vary based on sausage brand and exact oil absorption.