Sardine and scallion rice

1. Cook white rice according to package instructions or use leftover rice — day-old rice works especially well for this dish.
2. Briefly blanch the frozen peas in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside.
3. Drain the sardines, reserving the oil from the tin. Break the sardines into rough chunks.
4. Heat the reserved sardine oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cooked rice and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until lightly toasted.
5. Add the peas and sardine pieces, folding gently through the rice so the sardines break up and distribute evenly. Splash in the soy sauce.
6. Thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts. Stir the white parts through the rice, reserving the green tops for garnish.
7. Remove from heat and season generously with black pepper. Transfer to bowls and top with crispy fried shallots, green scallion tops, sesame seeds, and a generous sprinkle of furikake.

Tip: Don't skip the sardine oil — it carries a huge amount of umami flavour and is the secret backbone of the dish. If your sardines are packed in water or tomato sauce, add a small drizzle of sesame oil instead for depth.