Perfect Fried Rice

I lamented in an earlier post about how terrible I am at making fried rice but today I bring you my third and final recipe courtesy of my dad from our trip to Connecticut: Perfect Fried Rice.

There are several key steps in making this right and it's nothing a home cook can't master the first time around. This is better than anything you'll get in a restaurant because you control the ingredients and the sodium levels, plus restaurants notoriously use leftover ingredients in their fried rice in order to avoid using fresh produce.

 You'll need 3 cups of cooked jasmine rice that's been cooled, so plan ahead.

Using your fingers add about 1/4 cup dark soy sauce at a time and coat the rice while separating any clumps. You want it to resemble the color of the fried rice you're use to.  When using dark soy sauce you'll want to remember that it is used only for cooking; its flavor is way too strong and will over power the other flavors if used raw.

Cooking your egg like a pancake and dicing it up later will ensure your egg will be identified as such in the final dish. Unknowingly this has been my biggest mistake. I've always tried to scramble my eggs in the middle of the wok along with the rice and veggies. This has always given me mushy fried rice and now that I know how to do it properly I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner!

Aside from the onion and garlic feel free to use frozen vegetables, it'll save time and money. You can saute them in oil or even steam them in a bit of water to really skimp on fat.

Just like with any stir-fry you want to make sure you have all your veggies and proteins chopped and ready to go before you heat up your pan, the cooking time is minimal and happens quickly. You can use any protein your heart desires or keep it veggies only. We used duck for ours but shrimp, pork, chicken, Chinese sausage and even tofu (just pan fry the tofu first) will do. There's no need to drench your wok in oil, about 1 tablespoon should be plenty. You want your fried rice to be light and crunchy, not soggy. Your pan should be really hot before you start adding ingredients, this will ensure you have crisp brown edges and a soft center.

It's also worth mentioning that cooking raw duck is not for the faint of heart. Dad got his from his favorite restaurant so it was already cooked. We just diced it up and added it to the pan.  After everything is warmed through top with fresh cilantro and green onions for a delicious dinner.

There are so many varieties of cooking fried rice but I've given you two options for Chinese style or Vietnamese style, the only difference is in the seasoning.

 

Dad served his on a bed of lettuce perfectly rounded with an ice cream scoop and the rest of the duck for a restaurant quality meal at home. No need to ever order take-out again, I hope you try this and enjoy it!

Perfect Fried Rice
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup or more dark soy sauce
4 eggs
vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup protein, diced
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, tops only, chopped (if using white tips chop very thinly)

Chinese Style
1/8 t. 5 spice powder

Vietnamese Style
1 t. chicken bouillon powder


In a large bowl combine jasmine rice and dark soy sauce with your fingers coating the rice until it reaches a medium brown color. Set aside.

In a small pan add 1/2 tablespoon oil and heat over a medium high flame. Add beaten eggs and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside until cool enough to handle and dice.

In the same small pan add 1/2 tablespoon more of oil and heat up frozen mixed vegetables. Set aside.

In a large wok or pan heat 1 tablespoon oil on a high flame. Add, onion and garlic and stir fry until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add mixed vegetables, mushrooms and continuously stir, 3-4 minutes. Add rice and stir until incorporated with all other ingredients and warm it through. Add eggs, Chinese 5 spice or chicken bouillon powder and stir. Remove from heat, top with cilantro and green onions. Serve immediately.