Prawn Special Fried Rice

Prawn Special Fried Rice

We genuinely can't stop making this one. It's our plant-based take on the classic prawn special fried rice, and honestly it hits every single note: smoky, savoury, a little bit spicy, and packed with those proper wok-charred flavours you get from a great Chinese takeaway. The tofu scramble does something magic here, standing in for egg with that rich golden colour and a satisfyingly soft texture. It's the kind of meal that feels like a treat but comes together in about 25 minutes; which is basically the same time it'd take to order delivery. Make this tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Blender
  • Wok
  • Small bowl for sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 red pepper
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 3 spring onions
  • 1 red chilli (optional for garnish)
  • 2 250g pouches pre-cooked basmati or jasmine rice
  • 1 300g pack silken tofu
  • 2 tsp Indian black salt (Kala Namak)
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 2 tsp ginger paste
  • 12 plant-based prawns (defrosted)
  • 100g garden peas
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • generous pinch of white pepper
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • Sriracha to taste

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Core and dice the red pepper.
  • Peel, trim and dice the carrot.
  • Trim and finely slice the spring onions.
  • Finely slice the chilli, if using.
  • Break up the rice with your hands to separate the grains.
    Prepare the tofu
  • Drain any excess water from the tofu, then put the tofu, turmeric and kala namak in the blender and blitz until smooth.
  • Adjust seasoning if needed.
2

Make the sauce

  • Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and rice wine in a bowl. 
3

Cook the tofu ‘egg’

  • Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the wok over medium high heat.
  • Pour in the blended tofu (it should lightly sizzle), and stir until cooked through and beginning to firm up.
  • Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
4

Cook the veg and prawns

  • Add the remaining oil to the pan.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the pepper and carrot and stir for 2 minutes.
  • Add the spring onions (saving a few green slices for garnish) and prawns to the pan and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the garlic and ginger pastes and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the stir-fry sauce and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the rice and peas and stir for 2 minutes, using the back of your spatula to flatten out and break any remaining rice clumps. 
5

Cook the two elements and serve

  • Push the pan ingredients to the edges to create a central well, then pour the tofu ‘egg’ back into the pan.
  • Briefly warm through and then fold the rice and prawns into the tofu, stirring well to coat everything.
  • Off heat, drizzle the dish with toasted sesame oil, a good squeeze of sriracha and more soy sauce and white pepper to taste.
  • Spoon into bowls and sprinkle over the spring onions, sesame seeds and chilli slices if using, and serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

  • Use cold leftover rice: This is genuinely the biggest tip we can give. Freshly cooked rice holds too much moisture and will steam instead of fry. Pop it in the fridge overnight and break up any clumps with your hands before it goes in the wok.
  • Don't skip the kala namak: It might sound like an unusual ingredient but it's what gives the tofu scramble that slightly eggy, umami-rich flavour. You can find it in most Asian supermarkets or online, and it's worth every penny.
  • Crank up the heat: Fried rice loves a really hot pan. If your wok or pan isn't properly hot before you start, you'll miss out on that slightly smoky, charred flavour that makes this taste like proper takeaway food. Get it screaming hot before anything goes in.

Why This Works

The trick here is using day-old rice. Fresh rice is too wet and you'll end up with a stodgy clump, but rice that's been in the fridge overnight fries up beautifully with that slightly chewy, separate-grain texture you're after. The kala namak (black salt) in the tofu is the other game-changer; it gives a subtle eggy flavour that ties the whole dish together and makes it taste properly authentic. High heat and moving fast in the wok is the last piece of the puzzle. Trust us on this one, don't be shy with the heat.