Last Updated on May 24, 2022

[紅しょうが炒飯]

Beni Shoga Fried Rice is Japanese home-style vegan fried rice featuring the Japanese pickled ginger called beni shoga. It’s very easy to make with simple ingredients, yet the result is super flavorful and has an unique taste that you won’t find in other typical fried rice recipes! Beni shoga fried rice is a must try recipe that you want to add to your Japanese recipe collections.

Inspiration

I love fried rice but I don’t like brown color ones (like the one you see in a typical Chinese take-out fried rice) which are too heavy in the use of soy sauce. Maybe it’s a personal preference but you can see none of the fried rice recipes on my website that’s heavily soy sauce based.

So, beni shoga fried rice is another non-brown fried rice. For me, it reminds me of the color of spring where you see green and pink! Of course, you can enjoy this fried rice all year round. It’s also a perfect dish when you’re hungry and don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen.

What makes this beni shoga fried rice is the flavor combination of beni shoga and aonori which is an iconic flavor combo that you often see on okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes) and yaki udon (Japanese stir fried udon noodles.) This particular combo works just as good with fried rice, too!

What’s Beni Shoga?

Beni shoga is a type of non-fermented pickle that’s made of fresh ginger strips. The iconic red color of beni shoga comes from the color of ume plum vinegar that’s briny and naturally red due to the use of red shiso perilla leaves.

Beni shoga tastes very briny, pleasantly sour and spicy (the natural spiciness from ginger) with no sweetness. You can accent dishes to use as a topping or mix with other things to give a nice salty bite like such in this beni shoga fried rice!

I have a full post on beni shoga on my Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide! Be sure to hop on it for more insight 🙂

Another Key Ingredient, Aonori

You may be wondering what the green flakes are on top of the beni shoga fried rice.

The green flakes are aonori which is a type of seaweed. In English, it’s often described as edible green laver or green algae. It’s typically processed into dried fine flakes like the one shown in the photo of beni shoga.

Aonori may tastes similar to nori seaweed but has more intense sea flavor and aroma. You can’t really substitute with nori if you want to experience the tasty combo of beni shoga and aonori.

For more information, check out aonori on my Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide!

 Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (plus more for separating rice grains)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup / 70g diced yellow onion
• 3 cups / 480 g day-old cold short grain rice, separate the grains
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 3 tbsp / 30 g beni shoga (plus more for garnish), finely chopped
• 1 tsp soy sauce (adjust to taste)
• A few dashes white pepper (or black pepper)
• 1/8 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp aonori (adjust to taste)

Instructions

1. Heat up a non-stick surface frying pan or wok at medium heat. Add neutral oil then add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Next add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is translucent.
2. Add rice to the pan. Break up any lumps of rice with a paddle, if you see any. Optionally, adding a little more oil over the rice will be easier to separate the grains. Keep mixing for 2-3 minutes until the rice is reheated. If it starts burning quick, reduce the heat.
3. Add garlic powder, onion powder, beni shoga, soy sauce and white pepper. Mix well and taste. Adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Add scallions then give a quick stir.
4. Serve with aonori and extra beni shoga on top.

Tips and Notes

Rice

• For the authentic taste, using Japanese short grain rice (starchy rice) is recommended.
• Use day-old cold rice to get a proper texture (fresh rice will result wet fried rice.)
• It’s easier to separate the rice grains with a rice paddle (or a fork) before cooking.

Beni Shoga

• Beni shoga is Japanese red pickled ginger that’s briny & tangy.
• It’s quite salty by itself so be sure not to put too much salt when adjusting the seasoning with salt.
• Using extra beni shoga as a garnish adds a nice & fresh accent to the flavor.
• Be sure to check out more information on Beni Shoga on Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide.

Aonori

• Aonori is Japanese dried green seaweed flakes that has more intense sea flavor and more fragrant compared to nori seaweed.
• Using nori seaweed will not have the same flavor.
• A little bit goes a long way. Adjust the amount to your taste preference.
• Be sure to check out more information on Aonori on Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide.

If you enjoy the recipe, please share, leave a comment below and tag us @plantbased_matters on Instagram! We appreciate your kind support 🙂

Print Recipe

5 from 25 votes

Beni Shoga Fried Rice (Vegan)

Beni Shoga Fried Rice is Japanese home-style vegan fried rice featuring the Japanese pickled ginger called beni shoga. It's very easy to make with simple ingredients, yet the result is super flavorful and has an unique taste that you won't find in other typical fried rice recipes!

*Time to make fresh rice is not included

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: 2

Author: Plant-Based Matters

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp neutral oil plus more for separating rice grains
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 3 cups day-old cold short grain rice separate the grains
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 3 tbsp beni shoga plus more for garnish, finely chopped
• 1 tsp soy sauce adjust to taste
• A few dashes white pepper or black pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt adjust to taste
• 1 scallion finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp aonori adjust to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat up a non-stick surface frying pan or wok at medium heat. Add neutral oil then add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Next add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is translucent.
• Add rice to the pan. Break up any lumps of rice with a paddle, if you see any. Optionally, adding a little more oil over the rice will be easier to separate the grains. Keep mixing for 2-3 minutes until the rice is reheated. If it starts burning quick, reduce the heat.
• Add garlic powder, onion powder, beni shoga, soy sauce and white pepper. Mix well and taste. Adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Add scallions then give a quick stir.
• Serve with aonori and extra beni shoga on top.

Notes

• Rice
  • For the authentic taste, using Japanese short grain rice (starchy rice) is recommended.
  • Use day-old cold rice to get a proper texture (fresh rice will result wet fried rice.)
  • It’s easier to separate the rice grains with a rice paddle (or a fork) before cooking.
• Beni Shoga
  • Beni shoga is Japanese red pickled ginger that’s briny & tangy.
  • Beni shoga is quite salty by itself so be sure not to put too much salt when adjusting the seasoning with salt.
  • Using extra beni shoga as a garnish adds a nice & fresh accent to the flavor.
  • Be sure to check out more information on Beni Shoga on Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide.
• Aonori
  • Aonori is Japanese dried green seaweed flakes that has more intense sea flavor and more fragrant compared to nori seaweed.
  • Using nori seaweed will not have the same flavor.
  • A little bit goes a long way. Adjust the amount to your taste preference.
  • Be sure to check out more information on Aonori on Vegan Japanese Pantry Guide.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plantbased_matters or tag #plantbased_matters!