Cauliflower Fried "Rice" with Shrimp

“If you love the umami flavor of Asian cuisine, you’re going to love my cauliflower fried rice,” says Carey MacDonald in her West Nashville kitchen. Her stir-fried rice is actually made with riced cauliflower, one of the “white carb hacks” she uses. She’s not a keto diet follower but likes to eat well and finds she just feels better when she’s not eating rice, pasta, and lots of bread. Cauliflower, which rose to fame as a lower carb and calorie alternative to bread is a great ingredient in this dish, soaking up the Asian flavors and making a nice palate for everything from chicken to shrimp to tofu. And it makes a great side to anything.

Carey also loves finding substitutes that trick her husband. They moved to Nashville from Wisconsin in 2015, which is quite apparent in Carey’s accent. “And to be honest, I have a huge appetite so any swap that allows me to eat twice as much is going to be a favorite.”

By Jill Melton / Photography By Brooke Stevens | January 02, 2021

Ingredients

1 head garlic
2 10-ounce bags frozen riced cauliflower
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
salt
5 large green onions, chopped, whites and greens separated
1/2 lime, juiced, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, divided
sambal (optional)
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 medium carrots, diced
1 5-ounce package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 eggs, scrambled
hot Chinese mustard or sriracha (optional)

Preparation

1. First, roast the garlic. Trim off the top of entire bulb of garlic, leave in natural “paper”. Place garlic in aluminum foil pouch, leaving top open. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper, twist top and close foil. Place in a 400F oven 40-50 minutes. Set aside. (This can be done the day before.) Once cool, smash and mince each clove.

2. Follow cooking instructions on package for cauliflower rice. Once cooked, place in double mesh fine strainer and press with spatula until you cannot squeeze out any more moisture.

3. In medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sesame oil, salt, half of green onion, lime juice, ½ tablespoon ginger, about 2 cloves minced roasted garlic, and ½ tsp or more sambal (if you like it hot). Add shrimp and let marinate 1 hour.

4. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and add carrots. Sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining green and white onion, about 8 cloves minced roasted garlic, and mushrooms. Season with salt and lime. Adjust heat as needed.

5. Add cauliflower rice, peas, and soy sauce. (Remember the rice is cooked, you’re just heating it and getting a fried crust.) Once fried, push rice mixture to sides and drop in scrambled eggs. Cook thoroughly, breaking into bite size pieces, stirring cooked eggs gently into rice mixture. Taste and add soy and sriracha or mustard as desired. Cover to keep warm.

6. Heat nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until opaque. Toss shrimp with rice mixture. Top with more onions and sriracha sauce, if desired.