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We all know that you have to use leftover rice for fried rice in order to avoid a soggy, sticky disaster, right? This is great if you already have leftover rice lying around, but what about those spontaneous fried rice cravings? What kind of comfort food recipe expects you to plan for those cravings the night before? Not this one! When Bibigo USA asked me to develop a recipe for them using their Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice, I was honestly thrilled to learn that this product existed because it meant being able to make fried rice on the fly, no planning required! While I (like everyone else, probably) grew up on that fried rice with the frozen peas and carrot cubes tossed in, my adult palette has been loving a simple garlic fried rice—heavy on the garlic!—topped with some sort of delicious protein.

The inspiration for my honey butter shrimp comes from a couple different places. First, those big, buttery, succulent shrimp from Hawaiian shrimp trucks; the experience of indulging in something so luxurious whilst eating out of a takeout container in a car left a lasting impression that I needed to be able to replicate that experience in the comfort of my own home. And second, after seeing honey butter flavored EVERYTHING in South Korea—from almonds to potato chips to a dipping sauce for KFC—pairing it with shrimp seemed like a no-brainer.

The recipe below is for one hefty serving but can easily be multiplied. Just be sure to not overcrowd the pan for your shrimp. Allowing space for the shrimp to crisp up in their potato starch dusting is important to achieve that North Shore shrimp truck goodness.

Ingredients for Honey Butter Shrimp

8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/6 cup potato starch
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp gochugaru
salt to taste

Ingredients for Garlic Fried Rice

1 package Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
salt to taste

For garnish

1 tbsp chopped cilantro
lemon wedges

Procedure

Open package of Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice according to package directions and microwave for 30 seconds. Fully remove lid and set aside.

In a large, shallow bowl, combine potato starch and pinch of salt. Add shrimp and toss together until shrimp are fully coated. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat wok on medium-low heat. Add garlic and butter and stir continuously, cooking garlic until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Increase heat to high and add oil to wok. Add Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice, soy sauce, and salt to taste. Stir-fry for 6–7 minutes. Add butter and garlic mixture, stir to combine, then fry for an additional 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, microwave butter for 15 seconds, or until just melted. Whisk in honey, sugar, gochugaru, and salt to taste. 

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Fry shrimp in a single layer for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Turn off heat and drain any excess oil. Add honey butter sauce and toss to coat shrimp.

To serve, plate fried rice and add shrimp on top. Sprinkle cilantro and garnish with lemon wedges on the side.

Thank you so much to Bibigo USA for sponsoring this recipe! For more recipe ideas and to learn more about their products, visit their website!