Vegetable Fried Rice
I've always thought of fried rice as the quintessential comfort food. Think of it - a bowl of steaming white rice cooked to just the right consistency, filled with bits of egg and vegetable. No wonder fried rice is one of the world's most popular rice dishes!
For the home cook, the beauty of fried rice is that it is very adaptable. Like chow mein, it's perfect for those nights when you're cleaning out the refrigerator and want to get rid of any leftover vegetables.
A Bit of Fried Rice History:
While the exact origins of fried rice are lost to history, it’s believed that it was invented sometime during the Sui dynasty (589 – 618 AD), in the city of Yangzhou in eastern Jiangsu province. Yangchow (Yangzhou) Fried Rice is still the standard by which all other Chinese fried rice dishes are judged: morsels of fluffy rice tossed with roast pork, prawns, scallions and peas. In American-Chinese restaurants you’ll sometimes find it called "special fried rice."
Today, fried rice dishes are found throughout China, particularly in the south, where rice is the staple grain.
The Star of the Show – Rice:
The main key to making fried rice is using rice that has been previously cooked. Older rice is dryer, reducing your chances of ending up with a dish that is wet and gloppy. Day old rice is fine, but rice that is 2 or 3 days old is best. Rub the rice between your fingers to get rid of any clumps before cooking.
Long grain rice, which comes out fluffier and is less sticky than other types of rice, is perfect for fried rice dishes.
Instead of plain white rice, scented rice can also be used. Basmati is preferable to Jasmine rice.
Don’t Have Cooked Rice on Hand?
While nothing beats previously cooked rice for making fried rice, if you don't have any on hand, here's a tip: prepare a batch of fresh cooked rice, spread it on a baking sheet and freeze for 25 – 30 minutes. The texture of the fried rice isn't quite the same as days-old cooked rice, but it makes a handy substitute.
Cooking the Egg For Fried Rice:
There are several schools of thought on how to do this. Some prefer to fry the beaten egg and cut it into strips to use as a garnish. Others prefer to scramble the egg and mix it in with the rice – the egg is scrambled separately and added to the rice in the final stages of cooking. Either method is fine.
Cooking the Ingredients - Separately or Together?
One of the secrets of fried rice is that the ingredients are cooked separately - helping them maintain their distinct flavors - and then combined in the final stages of cooking. There’s no question that it’s easier to do this if you remove each ingredient from the pan after cooking and then add it back at the end, as in this recipe for fried rice. But the choice is up to you. If you leave all the ingredients in the pan, make sure each is cooked before adding the next – the vegetables lightly stir-fried, the egg fully set (if you’re scrambling the egg instead of adding it as a garnish), etc.
What about Seasonings?
Purists will often argue against adding any seasonings (except perhaps a pinch of salt) believing all the flavor should come from the stir-fried ingredients. However, whether or not to season fried rice is really a matter of personal preference. If you do decide to season the dish with soy sauce or oyster sauce, go lightly at first and then add more if needed.
When to Serve Fried Rice?
Fried rice can be served either as a main dish or side dish. Simple fried rice, without any meat or seafood, makes a nice substitute for plain cooked rice at an evening meal. At Chinese banquets, fried rice is frequently served at the conclusion of the main meal, before the dessert course.
Recipe
For the home cook, the beauty of fried rice is that it is very adaptable. Like chow mein, it's perfect for those nights when you're cleaning out the refrigerator and want to get rid of any leftover vegetables.
A Bit of Fried Rice History:
While the exact origins of fried rice are lost to history, it’s believed that it was invented sometime during the Sui dynasty (589 – 618 AD), in the city of Yangzhou in eastern Jiangsu province. Yangchow (Yangzhou) Fried Rice is still the standard by which all other Chinese fried rice dishes are judged: morsels of fluffy rice tossed with roast pork, prawns, scallions and peas. In American-Chinese restaurants you’ll sometimes find it called "special fried rice."
Today, fried rice dishes are found throughout China, particularly in the south, where rice is the staple grain.
The Star of the Show – Rice:
The main key to making fried rice is using rice that has been previously cooked. Older rice is dryer, reducing your chances of ending up with a dish that is wet and gloppy. Day old rice is fine, but rice that is 2 or 3 days old is best. Rub the rice between your fingers to get rid of any clumps before cooking.
Long grain rice, which comes out fluffier and is less sticky than other types of rice, is perfect for fried rice dishes.
Instead of plain white rice, scented rice can also be used. Basmati is preferable to Jasmine rice.
Don’t Have Cooked Rice on Hand?
While nothing beats previously cooked rice for making fried rice, if you don't have any on hand, here's a tip: prepare a batch of fresh cooked rice, spread it on a baking sheet and freeze for 25 – 30 minutes. The texture of the fried rice isn't quite the same as days-old cooked rice, but it makes a handy substitute.
Cooking the Egg For Fried Rice:
There are several schools of thought on how to do this. Some prefer to fry the beaten egg and cut it into strips to use as a garnish. Others prefer to scramble the egg and mix it in with the rice – the egg is scrambled separately and added to the rice in the final stages of cooking. Either method is fine.
Cooking the Ingredients - Separately or Together?
One of the secrets of fried rice is that the ingredients are cooked separately - helping them maintain their distinct flavors - and then combined in the final stages of cooking. There’s no question that it’s easier to do this if you remove each ingredient from the pan after cooking and then add it back at the end, as in this recipe for fried rice. But the choice is up to you. If you leave all the ingredients in the pan, make sure each is cooked before adding the next – the vegetables lightly stir-fried, the egg fully set (if you’re scrambling the egg instead of adding it as a garnish), etc.
What about Seasonings?
Purists will often argue against adding any seasonings (except perhaps a pinch of salt) believing all the flavor should come from the stir-fried ingredients. However, whether or not to season fried rice is really a matter of personal preference. If you do decide to season the dish with soy sauce or oyster sauce, go lightly at first and then add more if needed.
When to Serve Fried Rice?
Fried rice can be served either as a main dish or side dish. Simple fried rice, without any meat or seafood, makes a nice substitute for plain cooked rice at an evening meal. At Chinese banquets, fried rice is frequently served at the conclusion of the main meal, before the dessert course.
Recipe
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