I've had my first rice with shrimp paste at the first Krua Thai restaurant in Cebu way early 2000. Don't get me wrong, it was good because it was spicy and I love anything spicy. I don't know if it was the Thai shrimp paste or the mango chunks in the rice, I remember liking it but not finishing it. I guess it was just something new for me back then. Fast forward to today. Sure I now do like "bagoong rice", but I want to LOVE it. Tweak, tweak, tweak! I used tamarind extract (or sinigang mix powder) instead of green mangoes. Picture perfect? Maybe. Taste that's to die for? Yes, yes, yes!
Ingredients:
(this recipe is good for 10 cups of rice)
Procedure:
Ingredients:
(this recipe is good for 10 cups of rice)
- 10 cups day old rice ( 1 -2 cups per person)
- 1 cup shrimp paste (add more if paste is not as salty)
- 1 whole head minced garlic
- 1 cup julienned spring onion (green part only)
- 1 cup dried baby shrimps also called HI-BE
- 2 tsp chili flakes
- 10 eggs (cooked omelet style and sliced into long strips)
- 10 tbsp oil for cooking
- annato seeds (optional)
- tamarind extract OR sinigang mix powder (adjust the amount according to personal taste preference)
- salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
- In a hot wok, pour enough oil to slightly cover your rice. Around 1 tbsp of oil per 2 cups of rice. Add some annato seeds and let it bleed until the desired color of the oil is reached. Remove the seeds.
- Add minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp paste and continue stir-frying. Add the dried baby shrimps.
- Add the rice 2 cups at a time for easier mixing. Keep on mixing and folding.
- Add some tamarind extract or sinigang mix. Adjust the taste with either more of it or more of the paste, or with salt and pepper.
- Add chili flakes for some kick.
- Add the the spring onions.
- Fold in the omelet strips until well combined.
- Serve hot.