My 1-Ingredient Upgrade For the Most Flavorful Rice Ever (It’s a Game-Changer)

Growing up in a Filipino household meant that the rice cooker was always on, making a new batch of rice or keeping one warm. We started and ended our day with rice; it was served with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even as a merienda (snack). These days I don’t keep my rice cooker as busy, instead opting to make larger batches a few times a week and keeping leftovers in the fridge for impromptu lunches during the busy workweek. My go-to is a simple bowl of hot white rice drizzled with soy sauce and Kewpie mayo, topped with a sunny-side-up egg, and sprinkled with furikake. But on days when I feel like being extra, I bust out a wok and stir-fry leftover rice with a dollop of a popular Filipino seasoning that single-handedly makes it taste infinitely better: ginisang bagoong (fermented shrimp paste). 

Ginisang bagoong is a thick fermented shrimp paste that’s sautéed with onion, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. Sautéing leftover rice with bagoong is a well-known Filipino fried rice dish that goes by several names: bagoong fried rice, binagoongan fried rice, and shrimp paste fried rice. Its funky, sweet, and incredibly savory flavor infuses the rice, imbuing it with a reddish-brown hue and a deeply complex, umami-forward flavor. You can serve it as is, as a side dish, or as a main topped with a fried egg. Best of all, it’s easy to make and inexpensive to boot (you’ll use only a little bit at a time). 

1. Cook onions. Thinly slice half of a medium red onion (you can use any onion you have on hand, but I like the sweetness of red onion here). Heat a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil in a wok (or medium nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced onions and fry until softened and a touch crispy at the ends. 
2. Add the bagoong and rice. Add 1 tablespoon of bagoong (if you’re new to the taste, less is definitely more, so start with a teaspoon or two and see what you like). Cook, stirring to break it up, until it’s extremely fragrant and sizzling. Add 2 cups of cold leftover rice, breaking up any clumps of rice with your fingers as you add it in. Cook, tossing to combine, until the rice is hot. 
3. Season then serve. Turn off the heat, drizzle in a splash or two of soy sauce. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.

1. As as a seasoning for Kare-Kare
2. Spread on slices of unripe green mangoes for a salty-sour snack
3. Stirred into a coconut milk-based curry, like this 5-Ingredient Shrimp Curry