recipe for fried rice

The best recipe for fried rice

Fried rice is one of the most popular Chinese dishes and one of the easiest to make. If you are a beginner at cooking Chinese food, this would be one of the first meals you should try. A recipe for fried rice may differ depending on the choice of vegetables you use. Fried rice is often served as a side dish to many other Chinese dishes, but I usually make it as a main course meal when I want to skip meat for lunch.

Every time you use this recipe for fried rice you can combine different vegetables. As for the cooking method, it is pretty much the same and there’s only one thing you can do in 2 different ways. That is cooking eggs for fried rice- you can make eggs separately or together with the vegetables.

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Cooking eggs for fried rice

Preparing eggs for fried rice is similar to making scrambled eggs but you don’t add any other ingredients. 2 eggs is enough for this fried rice recipe that yields about 4 or 5 servings.

Once you whisk two eggs you can either fry them separately or together with the vegetables. If you want to have stronger flavor of eggs, you should fry them separately and then stir them into fried rice at the end. In that way, pieces of eggs will be more visible.

On the other hand, if you don’t like to taste egg bites in your fried rice, you can add the whisked eggs to the vegetables. However, you shouldn’t add them immediately but at the end when all the vegetables are cooked enough.

Preparing vegetables for fried rice 

recipe for fried rice

When cooking vegetables for fried rice you should know that they shouldn’t be overcooked. Similar to other Chinese dishes, stir fry vegetables in a wok just for a few minutes. Vegetables should be soft but not overcooked. All vegetables are prepared in the same wok but of course, you shouldn’t put all the vegetables at once.

Onions and shallots go first, broccoli go last, somewhere in between you should add carrots and mushrooms. When you see that onions or shallots are translucent, you can add carrots and after two minutes you can add mushrooms. Broccoli and peas don’t need much time so they go in the end.

Remember, sometimes less is more, you don’t need to put all these veggies in your fried rice, put ones you like or have in the fridge. When it comes to quantity of each vegetable you shouldn’t put too much of it. 

These are some of the best veggie combinations for fried rice:

Onions (or shallots), carrots, mushrooms

Onions, carrots, peas, broccoli

Yellow or green onions, carrots, peas 

Onions, carrots, broccoli 

Onions, red bell pepper, mushrooms 

Leek, mushrooms 

How to prepare rice for fried rice? 

First of all, you should know what rice to use for fried rice. In most Chinese dishes, long grain rice is preferably the best option.

The same way you cook the rice for other Chinese dishes, you should cook the rice for fried rice recipe. So, the 1:2 rice water ratio would do just fine. Cook the rice at medium or low to medium temperature. Once the rice is cooked cover it with kitchen cloth for a few minutes. That helps the rice not to be mushy and too sticky.

Note: if your rice is too sticky when you cook it this way (it depends on the rice quality), stir fry it in a pan at high heat before cooking, for five minutes.

When the rice is cooked, you should add it to the wok or any similar stir fry pan and fry it together with vegetables and eggs. At the same time you add rice, you should add soya sos. Stir well for three minutes at medium heat and serve immediately.

Do you need spices for fried rice?

Other than soya sos, sesame oil and pepper, you don’t need other spices. I don’t put salt when I use soya sos, but if it doesn’t give you enough saltiness you add some salt. Each vegetable you choose gives a certain flavor to the fried rice and that’s why you don’t need spices.

Sometimes when I don’t have sesame oil, I use olive oil instead but I sprinkle some sesame seeds on the fried rice.

How to prepare fried rice?

recipe for fried rice

Start by cooking rice and cutting the vegetables. While rice is cooking, toss the onions in the wok and stir fry them until translucent. Add carrots and continue stirring and frying them at medium heat. When carrots are soft enough, add the peas and after a few minutes, add the broccoli and some pepper.

Once the veggies are soft enough, add the fried eggs, stir well, add rice and soya sos. Stir for two more minutes and serve fried rice while warm.

Can I reheat fried rice?

Fried rice tastes best when you eat it freshly prepared. That’s why you should make only how much you need it for one meal. Of course, it may happen that you have some fried rice left and you don’t need to toss it immediately. You can reheat it in the microwave but don’t reheat the same portion of fried rice twice.

How to store fried rice? 

Unlike other foods, Chinese food is the best when you eat it fresh and you shouldn’t keep it too long. It can be dangerous to keep fried rice or other Chinese food at room temperature because it can develop certain bacteria. Keep fried rice in the fridge until the next day, but no longer than that. 

Easy Recipe for Fried Rice – Better than a Takeout

Whether you need a side dish for other Chinese food or you want to eat something healthy, full of veggies and without meat, this fried rice is a go-to recipe.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: fried rice, rice
Servings: 4
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 4 tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
  • 1/2 cup soya sos
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 big carrot or 2 small
  • 1/2 cup broccoli
  • 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

Instructions

  • Cook the rice at medium heat with 2 cups of water. Stir well and once the liquid is gone, remove it from the stovetop and cover it with kitchen cloth to rest.
  • While the rice is cooking, fry two eggs in a pan and set them aside. No need to add salt at this point.
  • Chop the onion and stir fry them with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil at medium heat. While onions are cooking, chop the carrots and add them to the wok once the onions are translucent. Add more sesame oil if needed, two or three tablespoons. When carrots get softer, add peas and broccoli. Stir the veggies for two more minutes, but don't let them overcook.
  • Add fried eggs and some pepper, then stir, add rice, stir and add soya sos. Cook fried rice at medium heat for two more minutes.

Notes

Check the article for additional tips on making fried rice!

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