How to make fried rice that is full of flavour, with chicken and salted fish
- Embrace the strong flavour of the Asian condiment – if you can get beyond the smell, that is
- A little salted fish goes a long way, so use a small amount to begin with – you can always add more
Whenever people turn up their noses at the pungent scent of salted fish, I remind them that other cultures use ingredients with a strong smell (some would call it “stink”) that is far worse than the taste: cheeses such as époisses, mont d’or and limburger in Europe; durian and belacan (fermented and dried shrimp paste) in Southeast Asia; kimchi in Korea; sauerkraut in Germany; and natto in Japan. (I’ve yet to smell and taste Icelandic hákarl, or fermented shark.)
Give them a chance and you’ll find these ingredients are delicious – in fact, you might not even notice the smell.
Salted fish is meant to be eaten in small quantities, almost as a condiment, to flavour a mouthful of rice or steamed pork patty. Even in its purest forms – steamed with lots of shredded ginger, or fried and served with a dipping sauce of pepper, salt and fresh lime juice – you should take small portions and eat it with rice.
Fried rice with salted fish and chicken
As with every other recipe for fried rice, start with cold (or at least room temperature) cooked rice. It doesn’t work with rice hot out of the cooker, which becomes heavy and stodgy when stir-fried. If you don’t have leftover rice in your fridge, spread out freshly cooked rice on a tray and leave at room temperature to dry out for an hour or two.
There are many types of salted fish. Some are bony and best used for soup stocks and sauces; others are moist and meaty, almost semi-dried, and when squeezed, your fingers will leave an indentation. For this dish, choose fish that’s firm but still pliable and will hold its shape when cubed and fried, or the moist and meaty type, which disintegrates into small flakes when fried.
If you are new to eating salted fish, use the smaller amount called for in this recipe. If you love salted fish, use more. This recipe serves two to four.
