Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of those dishes that you can get in any Chinese restaurant - be it your fancy fancy or your country Chinese restaurant - there is something satisfying and satiating about a great bowl of fried rice. When we were growing up fried rice was on the weekly menu but historically it was originally served at the end of a banquet, but it was just a weekly favourite dinner for us! It of course isn't just a Chinese dish - originating from China, for sure, but now there are versions of fried rice in Japan, Korea, South East Asia and all around the world. I feel there are a lot of different variations of fried rice, but to me, I think of it as a way to have a healthy, filling meal without much work or preparation, and using just about whatever you have leftover in your fridge! I am not sure when the corn and peas became fundamental to fried rice (or maybe it was just some Australian/Kiwi version?) but I do enjoy having them in my fried rice, although not essential! What I do find essential is :* although not essential, I find cold leftover rice. I think because the grains remain whole and separate easier when the rice is cold and drier (this is just a theory). You can use freshly cooked rice as well.* egg - you can either fry egg before cooking the fried rice and chop it up to serve on top of your fried rice, or you can add to your fried rice and cook the egg by adding to the rice and other ingredients when it is nearly cooked. This method (my preferred option) combines the egg into the whole dish.* I don't think you should stick with lots of rules with fried rice. Use whatever you like or have in your fridge - tofu, chinese sausage, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage (highly recommended) etc. I think you just need to keep the flavourings/sauces etc the same. If you don't have cha siu, or prawns, then it doesn't matter! You can definitely do a vegetarian option without any problem.* You can add as much or as little as you want. Please feel free to improvise with this - I don't really think there is a right or wrong way to make fried rice! Lastly - as with all wok cooking, it is good to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking - it is so fast you won't have time to pfaff around looking for ingredients!
Ingredients
- SEE BELOW TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- 4-5 tbsp rice bran or vegetable oil
- ½ onion finely diced
- 1 tsp ginger finely diced
- 1 tsp garlic finely diced
- 2-3 rashers bacon finely sliced
- 2 tbsp shao xing wine
- 2 tbsp coriander roots and stems
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 cups cooked rice
- ⅔ cup spring onions finely sliced
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp maggie seasoning optional
- coriander leaves to garnish optional
- Fresh chilli to garnish optional
Instructions
- If you are going to fry some egg to slice and put on top, do this now. **You don't have to do this option and often I will do 2 eggs this way as well as 2 eggs into the rice. **. Beat 2 eggs lightly in a bowl. Heat up 1-2 tbsp oil in a hot wok and add the egg without stirring - leave it to set in the bottom of the wok for about 10-15 seconds. Using a fish slice or spatula, flip the egg like you would if you were making an omelette and cook lightly on the other side. Remove from the wok and put on a board. Slice thinly when it is cool enough to touch and set aside.
- Heat the rest of the oil in your hot wok and stir fry your onion, garlic and ginger, coriander roots and stems and bacon - for approximately a minute. ** At this point I would add all your optional extras - mushrooms, veggies, chinese sausage etc and cook for another 3-4 minutes. In a separate bowl dissolve the sugar in the shao xing wine and add to your wok and fry for one minute.
- Add the rice to your wok with spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, maggie seasoning. Break up the rice and stir until well combined and the rice is heated through.
- Using your spatula, push all the rice etc to one side of the wok. Add into the wok your two lightly beaten eggs and leave for 30 seconds or so before mixing the egg into the rice and veggies etc until well combined. The heat from the rice will cook the egg so keep cooking for maybe another minute, stirring. I also like to leave it for a little bit (1 minute or so depending on how hot your wok is) to get some "crispy bits" on the wok.
- Transfer to a rice bowl, garnish with coriander, spring onions, fried egg if you fried your egg earlier, and some chilli or chilli oil. I usually cook some veggies to go with my rice - some quickly cooked bok choy or choy sum with oyster sauce for example.
