Curry Fried Rice with Spam

If I start to talk about fried rice, this will be an endless topic. There are all different kinds of fried rice. You can pretty much put anything in it. Some fried rice are moist and sticky, and some are dry. Some cook with soy sauce and some cook with ketchup. No matter what fried rice you make, it is important to give it enough flavors.

I am lucky to stumble upon this fried rice recipe from Uni Homemaker. Not only there is Spam, there is also curry powder. The flavor profile just sounds amazing. Savory bites from the Spam, a hint of spiciness from the curry, sweetness from the vegetables, and the umami flavors from the soy sauce. Great balance of flavors. Love this fried rice!

Let’s talk a bit more about Spam. I grew up eating Spam. We usually eat it pan fried and with instant ramens or noodles. If you haven’t tried Spam, you may think it is some not-so-good looking ground meat thing. But after they are sliced and pan fried, they are some tasty golden brown meat slices. When you first bite into the Spam, it is savory and a bit salty. Then the pork flavor would come through. It is absolutely delicious!

Now, go and make some fried rice with Spam!

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice (焗豬扒飯) is a classic in Hong Kong cafe. Who wouldn’t like pork chop with fried rice in tomato sauce and top with melted cheese? It is everyone’s favorite. It is a all-in-one casserole dish.

If you ask the people who have left Hong Kong for a while, what food they miss the most in Hong Kong, many of them would tell you cafe style food. Many Hong Kong cafe dishes are influenced by the west, like the use of tomato sauce, cream, cheese, and pasta. With the combination of Chinese ingredients and cooking style, these dishes are unique and special. They are definitely not too easy to find in the US, especially with that kind of fusion flavors. Therefore I tried to make them at home. After a few tries, I am very happy with this baked pork chop with fried rice recipe. It was good and it tasted very close to the flavors that I remember.

Give this a try and get a taste of Hong Kong!

P.S. I have to thank my Hong Kong friends, Iris and Tony for giving me this cook book. Without it, I won’t be able to recreate many delicious Hong Kong food at home.

Creamed Corn with Pork and Rice

Creamed corn with pork and rice (粟米肉粒飯) is one of those classic simple dishes that you can find in Hong Kong. It is very basic, tasty and affordable that people love to get this for lunch. The sweet creamed corn was cooked down and turned into a sauce along with the savory and tender pork cubes. Then, scooped that over a plate of steamed hot rice. This is definitely my kind of comfort meal. Hope you will like this too!

Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl

It has been hot in the past two weeks. When it is hot, it is not very pleasant to cook in my apartment. It gets really hot in the kitchen, especially when I have the oven on. It is like a sauna. I would sweat like a pig. To prevent this, I tried to cook something fast and easy or not “cook” at all. This spicy tuna rice bowl is the perfect no-cook meal. It tasted light and delicious. After you have tried this, you will never need to buy spicy tuna bowl from outside. Have fun making it and enjoy!

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto? After watching a few seasons of Hell’s Kitchen, risotto seems to be a must-try at home. So far, this mushroom risotto is the only risotto that I made. I love the earthy flavors and the salty prosciutto. It is hard to give this up and make something else. My risotto may not be perfect, but it is delicious! I just hope Wolfgang Puck won’t yell at me or something (If you have watched season 7 Food Network Star, you will know what I mean.). And for those of you who are meat eaters, this is not a vegetarian dish. You get your prosciutto! That’s why Bryan has no complain at all! He likes the dish!

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp

Bryan and I like to go to Thai restaurant. Our favorite is yellow curry, but pineapple fried rice also comes very close. When I came across something I really like in restaurant, I like to try to make it at home if I can. This pineapple fried rice is pretty good, and it is very easy to make. I used canned pineapple because it is a lot more convenient, but I am sure fresh pineapple would be better.

Creamy Lemon Shrimp with Rice

Last year, I saw Giada making this dish on TV. It looked so amazing, and I just had to try making it. I love it! It is creamy, fresh, and stuffing. Bryan is not a fan. He thinks the flavors combination is weird. Therefore, I only made this dish while Bryan can’t come home for dinner. Hmmmm…. I get to enjoy the whole thing by myself…. Yum yum! You can serve this dish with a vegetable side dish, then, you have the perfect meal. Give this recipe a try!

Japanese Fried Rice

After trying Benihana, it is hard to not think about their fried rice. This recipe is my version of Japanese fried rice. It may not be the same as the Benihana one, but it is absolutely delicious! I used sausage instead of chicken. It is more convenient, and it added some smoky flavor into the fried rice. The crushed garlic is the key. Remember to put it in! This is the only fried rice that I made. I usually made 4 servings, therefore Bryan and I can save the rest for lunches. I really don’t mind eating this everyday!

Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl

Many of the main Japanese dishes have a hint of sweet. This rice bowl is the same. The savory of the crispy pork chop is perfect with the sweet onions, eggs, and broth. Even though I didn’t use dashi broth and I only used water, my sister and I both agreed that this dish just tasted like the one in restaurants. The original recipe is a bit too sweet, so I reduce the sugar to 4 tablespoons in the following recipe. I believe this should just be right now. Give this a try! I think you will really like it.