Chinese Fried Rice
This Chinese fried rice has the flavor those other recipes are missing. Tastes like takeout. Make sure you season your rice with salt before it cooks. Add some butter to the cooking water as well. Other seasonings should be added before you cook, as well, so it has time to get inside the rice. If you like sesame flavor, add 1 tsp of it after you add the green onions, but do not use it as a cooking oil because it easily burns.
This Chinese fried rice has the flavor those other recipes are missing. Tastes like takeout. Make sure you season your rice with salt before it cooks. Add some butter to the cooking water as well. Other seasonings should be added before you cook, as well, so it has time to get inside the rice. If you like sesame flavor, add 1 tsp of it after you add the green onions, but do not use it as a cooking oil because it easily burns.
- 2 1/2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
- 3 drops soy sauce
- 3 drops sesame oil
- 3/4 cup onions finely chopped
- 1 eggs lightly beaten ( or more eggs if you like)
- 8 ounces cooked lean boneless pork chopped, or 8 ounces chicken
- 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
- 4 cups cold cooked rice grains separated ( preferably medium grain)
- 4 green onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce add more if you like
- Carbohydrate 187.856108465539 g
- Cholesterol 46.53 mg
- Fat 36.5678755355219 g
- Fiber 8.88430918598766 g
- Protein 19.2350040074458 g
- Saturated Fat 5.12244913853595 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (469g)
- Sodium 274.335102348581 mg
- Sugar 178.971799279552 g
- Trans Fat 2.06258202799902 g
- Calories 1170 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add chopped onions and stir-fry until onions turn a nice brown color, about 8-10 minutes; remove from wok.
- Allow wok to cool slightly.
- Mix egg with 3 drops of soy and 3 drops of sesame oil; set aside.
- Add 1/2 tbsp oil to wok, swirling to coat surfaces; add egg mixture; working quickly, swirl egg until egg sets against wok; when egg puffs, flip egg and cook other side briefly; remove from wok, and chop into small pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add selected meat to wok, along with carrots, peas, and cooked onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add rice, green onions, and bean sprouts, tossing to mix well; stir-fry for 3 minutes.
Grains of medium-grain rice emerge from the wok separate and glistening, coated in savory soy and carrying the distinct aroma of browned onions and toasted sesame. Selecting fresh aromatics rather than dried onion flakes alters the foundation completely, releasing moisture that helps deglaze the hot metal surface during the initial eight to ten minute stir-fry. While convenience items have their place in the pantry, raw carrots and crisp bean sprouts provide a structural crunch that pre-packaged alternatives simply cannot match.
Texture and Heat Control in the Wok
Achieving restaurant-quality fried rice relies heavily on managing moisture and temperature simultaneously. Starting with cold, cooked grains prevents the starches from gelatinizing into a sticky mass, ensuring each individual piece absorbs the oil and seasonings evenly. Reserve the delicate sesame oil for the final moments of cooking rather than using it as a primary cooking fat, because its low smoke point causes it to burn rapidly under high heat.
- If the eggs stick to the metal, the wok was likely not hot enough before coating with oil; ensure the surface shimmers before adding the liquid.
- When frozen peas turn gray and mushy, they were added too early; fold them in during the final two-minute vegetable toss to retain their bright color.
- Should the final dish taste watery, the cooked rice contained excess trapped moisture; spread future batches onto a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for two hours prior to cooking.
