Rice dishes can improve any mealtime, whether it’s the star of the show, complementing another main dish or delivering a scrumptious leftover feast. The humble grain is versatile enough for quick weeknight saves like chicken and chickpea rice or more elaborate dishes like jambalaya or risotto, crossing a variety of cuisines.
Many Asian recipes require a rice base, with Southeast Asian cultures spicing up their dinners by sprucing the rice up with a seasoning or sauce of their choosing. One such example, which is lesser known on UK soil, is Ginisang bagoong, a Filipino condiment made from sautéed shrimp paste. When added to rice, it creates a rich, intense flavour sure to set alight even the dullest of palates.
Kristina Razon, deputy food editor at online recipe provider The Kitchn, swears by the paste and what it can bring to a dish.
“Ginisang bagoong is a thick fermented shrimp paste that’s sautéed with onion, garlic, vinegar, and sugar,” Kristina explained.
“Sautéing leftover rice with bagoong is a well-known Filipino fried rice dish that goes by several names: bagoong fried rice, binagoongan fried rice, and shrimp paste fried rice.
“It’s funky, sweet, and incredibly savoury flavour infuses the rice, imbuing it with a reddish-brown hue and a deeply complex, umami-forward flavour.”
Bagoong Fried Rice can be served on its own, as a side dish or topped with a fried egg as a main meal, and on a budget.
The shrimp paste may be sold under a variety of names but is available in the UK, particularly in stores specialising in Southeast Asian cuisine.
To make the fried rice at home, you must:
- Sauté onion in vegetable oil until softened and slightly crispy.
- Add bagoong (start small if you’re new to it) and stir until fragrant.
- Mix in cold leftover rice, breaking up clumps as you go.
- Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
Feel free to serve this cold the following day, topped with an egg as mentioned before, or as the base of a curry dish.
This simple yet impactful way to elevate rice from everyday to irresistible will likely become a kitchen staple in your home.