Shrimp Fried Riced Cauliflower

Some might call it cauliflower fried rice, but since there is no rice in it (and I hate putting words in quotes) I prefer fried riced cauliflower. It’s not the prettiest dish you will ever eat, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious. Not to mention super simple to throw together. 

I was just reading an article last week about ugly food.

It was about all those delicious dishes out there that will never win a photo award no matter how talented the stylist. 

It got me thinking about how this little tidbit influences what I put on the blog. 

I tend to throw together some really tasty and really ugly meals every week. Before I finish cooking, I think, hey, I need to put this on the blog. It’s so good. 

Then I stand there staring at it in my bowl. 

Eh, nevermind. 

I mean, with some work most foods can look pretty appetizing. Some green there, a dash of salt and pepper, maybe put the spoon in so it looks like it’s being eaten…  

So maybe I’m just being lazy. But sometimes a blob of herb dotted brown is not what I want to photograph.

Then I made fried riced cauliflower for the millionth time for lunch this week. 

Yes, I’m on the riced cauliflower bandwagon, but not because I’ve sworn off rice. I just really like cauliflower and it is so easy to make. Every time I make it, I think I should turn it into a post. Then I see the brown. But this time, after reading that article, I’m going for it. 

If you are into riced cauliflower, which is basically cauliflower chopped into tiny pieces to look like rice, you’ve probably had something like this, but everyone has their favorite twist. 

For me, it’s shrimp and something crunchy. This time around, slivered almonds. 

I try to seek out responsibly fished seafood and our supermarket sells a version of small shrimp, often called salad shrimp, that fit the category so that is what I usually have in the freezer. It is perfect for a dish like this. 

For seasonings, I stick with soy sauce and some sesame oil. If I have fish sauce around, I add that. But I just realized my fish sauce expired. Isn’t that weird? Who knew that something so stinky in the first place would have an expiration date. Anyway, I need to restock. 

Some tossing in the skillet for about 15 minutes total and this stuff hops of the stove into the bowl and into the belly. 

So ignore the fact that this meal isn’t glamorous or full of color, and dig in.

What you’ll need:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 cups riced cauliflower
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups thawed, cooked, small shrimp or chopped shrimp
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Optional for serving: chopped fresh cilantro, extra soy sauce, chili paste or sauce

How to make it:

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or wok, over medium-high. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Stir in the cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add the green onions, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring well. 

Push the veggies to one side of the pan and add the shrimp. Let cook for about 45 seconds and then stir into the veggies. Push the veggies to the side one more time and pour the egg into the skillet. Let cook for one minute, then flip. Cook until firm and chop into pieces with your spoon/spatula. Stir it into the veggies and shrimp. 

Stir in the sesame oil and then the almonds. Remove from the heat. Stir in additional soy sauce to taste and serve.