Seared Salmon and Prawn Rice

Pan-seared Salmon and Prawns served over a warm bed of Chinese fragrant Fried Rice.

a reliable way to revamp any leftover rice is to fry it up into a completely new meal. We did not want ordinary fried rice, though. When looking for standout salmon and prawn recipes, searing the seafood with a great crust and serving it over a warm bed of Chinese fragrant rice is hard to beat.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Whenever we order Chinese takeout (or Japanese), a side of fried rice is mandatory. It is a staple in our house, like a cardinal rule that cannot be broken. But making it at home gives you a highly versatile, simple prawn rice recipe that feels special without being overly complicated.

Having the pans running hot and cooking the seafood fast builds an good flavor base in the skillet before the rice even goes in. Tossing cold rice into that same pan means every grain absorbs the garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil left behind by the salmon and prawns.

And it's one of the only ways to get our kids eating peas and corn without any complaints. Because who doesn't love fried rice? It completely transforms basic ingredients into a meal that is both satisfying and easy to make, whether you are using leftover rice or starting fresh.

Ingredients Salmon and Prawn Rice

• Salmon Fillets: We use fresh Atlantic salmon, but thawed frozen fillets work just fine. The trick is to wash them and pat them completely dry with a paper towel before they hit the heat. If they carry extra moisture, they will steam in the pan instead of getting a proper sear. We have tried making this with flaky white fish, but salmon holds its shape much better when tossed with the rice.
• Prawns: Raw prawns add a great natural sweetness that balances the salmon. You can use fresh or frozen, but definitely avoid pre-cooked prawns. We tried tossing pre-cooked ones in once to save time, and they turned completely rubbery in the hot skillet. If you cannot find prawns, you can just double the amount of salmon.
• Sesame Oil: This is what gives the rice that authentic takeout flavor and aroma. We use a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to finish the dish rather than cooking with it from the start, since it burns fast under high heat. If you have an allergy, you can leave it out or add a drop of peanut oil, but we highly recommend keeping the sesame oil if you can.
• Soy Sauce & Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing): These two liquids build the deep background flavor in the rice. Regular soy sauce works best, but you can easily swap it for low-sodium soy sauce or tamari. The Chinese cooking wine is brilliant for cutting through the seafood. If you do not have any in the cupboard, dry sherry is the exact substitute we use. We do not recommend swapping it with rice vinegar, as it makes the whole pan far too acidic.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

This recipe moves fast, so we always make sure our vegetables are chopped and our cold rice is ready before turning on the stove. We start by rubbing the salmon and prawns with stock powder and garlic powder.

We heat a splash of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until it starts smoking.

• We drop the salmon in and leave it completely untouched for four to five minutes to build a solid crust. Once the heat cooks the sides halfway up, we flip the fillets and let them finish for another three minutes, then move them to a plate.
• We throw the prawns into the exact same hot pan. They only need two to three minutes to turn pink before we pull them off the heat.

Do not wipe the skillet clean. We use those leftover juices and a little more oil to quickly scramble the eggs, then scrape them out. Next, we fry the diced onion, garlic, and green onions just until translucent, tossing the carrots in for another two minutes.

• We pour the soy sauce and Chinese cooking wine directly into the pan, followed immediately by the cold rice, peas, and corn.
• We stir-fry everything together until the rice absorbs the liquids and is completely heated through.

To finish, we take the pan off the heat and stir the eggs, prawns, and a drizzle of sesame oil into the rice. We divide it into bowls, flaking the salmon over the top with fresh green onions.

Kitchen tip

• Use day-old rice if you can. It fries up so much better than fresh rice, giving you that good, slightly chewy texture every good fried rice needs.
• Pat the salmon and prawns dry before seasoning. Trust us, this little step makes all the difference in getting that gorgeous golden crust.
• Cook the salmon firstthen the prawns. It keeps everything tender and juicy without overcooking the seafood.
• Taste as you go. Add more soy sauce or cooking wine if you like a deeper, more savory flavor. It's all about finding your balance.

Serve it with

If you want to shake things up with some sides, a fresh avocado greek salad gives a clean, sharp contrast to the seafood. On cooler nights, a hot bowl of roasted tomato basil soup is great to have on the table right next to the skillet. For dessert, we like to keep the rice theme going and finish the night with a warm bowl of cinnamon raisin rice pudding.

Recipe FAQ's

You can, but day-old rice gives a reliable results. Fresh rice tends to be too soft and sticky, while leftover rice fries up light and fluffy.

Atlantic salmon fillets are good for this recipe. They're tender, flavorful, and hold up beautifully when seared.

Let it rest for a minute or two after searing, then place it on top of the rice right before serving to keep that crispy edge.

What you need

• 5.2 oz Atlantic salmon fillets x4 washed and pat dry with a paper towel
• 7 oz peeled and deveined prawns fresh, or frozen and thawed, washed and pat dry with a paper towel
• 1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder divided
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder divided
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 large eggs lightly whisked
• 1 large brown onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 stems green onions halved, peeled and thinly sliced, divided
• 2 large carrots peeled and diced
• 2 cups pre-cooked long grain rice white or brown rice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels drained
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce adjust to your tastes
• 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon (extra) sesame oil
• finely sliced spring onion to serve

Method

1. Liberally season and rub the prawns and salmon fillets with the stock powder and garlic powder to season.
2. When oil is hot and beginning to smoke, add the seasoned salmon.
3. Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side, or until golden and crispy on the outside and cooked half way up (or three-quarters) through the inside.
4. Turn fillets; reduce heat slightly and cook for a further 3-4 minutes more, or until cooked to your liking. Remove and transfer onto a plate.
5. Add the prawns and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they change colour and turn pink. Take off the heat and remove from the pan.
6. In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the Sesame oil until just starting to smoke.
7. Add in eggs and break up with your wooden spoon until they're cooked through and slightly golden; remove, set aside, and keep warm.
8. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and heat it through. Add the onion, garlic, and green onions; fry while stirring until onions and garlic are translucent.
9. Add the carrot and cook for a further 2 minutes until golden.
10. Add the soy sauce and Chinese wine to the pan/wok; stir everything through to combine; then add the rice, peas and corn.
11. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are heated through. Remove from heat; stir the reserved egg, prawns and (extra) sesame oil through the rice.