After last week’s newsletter about the food my children eat (and don’t eat), I got about 10 times the number of emails I usually receive, a vast majority of them from parents saying they felt seen.The idea is for us at New York Times Cooking to understand and meet your wants and needs, while also suggesting new things for your plate.This week we’re returning to more typical programming, which is to say a mix of recipes for all ages, but with a few that explicitly seem more kid-friendly, like the shrimp fried rice with yum yum sauce (actual name) below.
I wouldn’t put down a pot of spiced chicken and rice with cardamom and cinnamon in front of my kids just yet — there’s only so much whining and mewling about nuts and spice that I can take — but I’d definitely make it for me.1. Shrimp Fried RiceInspired by the fire-kissed flavor of Japanese steakhouse and hibachi fare, especially at the Kani House restaurants in Georgia, this quick fried-rice dish is a veritable comfort.
Frying the shrimp first in oil, just until they’re cooked, and reserving them to add back at the end means they stay tender. Plus, you’re left with the most aromatic shrimp oil in which to fry the rice and vegetables. The shortcut of bagged frozen mixed vegetables comes in handy here, not least because they need only to be thawed by the skillet’s high heat.
The yum yum sauce, a mayo-ketchup dipping sauce that is ordinarily reserved for grilled hibachi meats, tastes fabulous splattered over.
