Chinese Recipes - Fried Rice

[surgtech1956]

Does anyone have a Fried Rice or Chicken Fried Rice Recipe? Thank you

[OakLeaf]

Very simple.

The rice needs to already be cooked. Day-old leftover rice is best, because the grains will stick together less. Long grain rice is traditional in Chinese cooking.

If you're making it with chicken (or any meat), cut it into VERY thin bite-sized pieces. My mom always taught me you should be able to see the knife through your slice of meat - that's how thin. Working with frozen meat makes it easier to get the slices really thin.

Beat an egg with a fork to blend the white and yolk.

Have any vegetables ready that you like, diced into very small pieces. The idea is to have everything small enough to cook very quickly. Carrots and mung bean sprouts work well.

Use peanut or light sesame oil. Get it hot in your skillet or wok. A drop of water should sizzle and evaporate when the oil is hot enough.

If you're making the dish with meat, cook the meat first then remove it from the pan. Then start your longer-cooking vegetables like carrots. Add the rice and a slice of fresh ginger about the size of a quarter. Stir to coat the rice with the oil. Drizzle the egg over the rice and toss until the egg is cooked. Then add any quick-cooking vegetables like sprouts. When the vegetables are almost done, add the meat back in and cook one or two minutes until everything is hot.

Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in sliced scallions and soy sauce to taste. You can leave the slice of ginger in the mix, just be careful not to eat it. :p

Just like mom used to make (and still teaches in her Chinese cooking classes :)).

[surgtech1956]

Oakleaf, thank you so much. Can I use brown rice or is white better?

[OakLeaf]

I always use brown rice. It's a little chewier, but tasty.

[warneral]

Add a tsp or two of oil when you cook your rice to help the rice from clumping together when you fry it :)

[Zen]

I always throw an egg in the mix

[Owlie]

Mine usually consists of chicken cut into small cubes, a beaten egg or two (I fry them separately), then throw them back into the pan with diced veggies. Add the rice. The recipe I have that's more like take-out has a sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, garlic, sake (or rice wine) and ginger. DBF loves it.

I'm going to have to try Oak's version when next I make dinner.

[malkin]

It is good for using up odd bits of leftovers poking around in the fridge.

[ccnyc]

I made this tonight. It was fantastic! Chicken breast, red pepper, celery, carrot, ginger, brown rice. Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Oakleaf.

[Kimmyt]

You can do it thai style with a little fish sauce and some cilantro added in... lots of ginger and garlic. YUM.