Method
Prepare
Loosen the day-old rice with your fingers. If it is very hard, microwave it for 20 seconds first; if it is wet, spread it out and let it dry slightly.
Pat the prawns dry. Separate the spring onion whites and greens, mince the garlic, and beat the eggs.
Cook the add-ins first
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until just set, then remove.
In the same pan, cook the prawns until just done, then remove. If using bacon or char siu, brown it at this stage.
Bloom the XO sauce
Add a little more oil if needed. Reduce to medium-low, then add the garlic, spring onion whites, and XO sauce. Fry for 10–20 seconds until fragrant.
Do not fry XO sauce hard over high heat; the dried seafood and scallop strands can turn bitter.
Fry the rice
Add the rice, turn the heat back to medium-high, and break up the grains while frying. Drizzle the soy sauce around the edge of the pan, then add white pepper and a small pinch of sugar.
Return the eggs and prawns to the pan and toss well. Finish with the spring onion greens and stir-fry briefly over high heat before serving.
Key Tips
- XO sauce is already salty and savoury, so go light on soy sauce and taste before adding more salt
- The rice should be dry and loose; wet rice turns into XO-sauce mixed rice instead of fried rice
- Bloom XO sauce briefly; do not scorch it over high heat
- Pat prawns completely dry or they will water down the pan
- If you do not have prawns, bacon, ham, char siu, or crab sticks all work — you mainly want savouriness and aromatic fat