Chinese Sausage and Shrimp Fried Rice

_ (Xiangchang Xia Chaofan)_

**

SERVES 4

Author Mei Chin prefers to use fresh warm rice rather than the traditional day-old cold rice because she believes that warm rice soaks up the fat and flavor of the sausage better.

**1 cup jasmine or other long-grain rice
3/4 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined,
and patted dry
1 tbsp. shaoxing jiu
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 xiangchang (Chinese sausage), thinly sliced on the bias
1/2" piece ginger, peeled and finely minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2-4 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
**

1. Put rice into a medium bowl, cover with cold water, and swish around with your hand until water clouds. Drain. Repeat process until water remains clear, 4-5 more times. Drain rice and put it into a medium pot with a tightfitting lid. Add 1 1/4 cups water and cook over medium-low heat until rice is tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and set aside, partially covered, to let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, put shrimp and wine into a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let marinate for 5 minutes.

3. Put vegetable oil, sausages, and ginger into a large skillet and stir-fry over medium high heat for 4 -5 minutes. Add shrimp and stir-fry until just pink, about 1 minute.

4. Add rice to skillet and gently mix to combine. Form a well in the middle of the rice and pour the eggs into the well. Wait for the eggs to set a bit, then scramble by stirring occasionally. When eggs are soft-scrambled (curds have set but are still wet), stir them into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Smooth out rice, gently pressing it into skillet with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, and let cook, undisturbed, until a golden crust forms on the bottom, about 1 minute. Break up rice crust and mix into soft rice. Repeat process 2-3 more times, being careful not to mash the rice too much. Stir in scallions and season to taste with sesame oil.