ISO Help with chicken fried rice

[crono760]

I go to North-American Chinese restaurants and they more or less all offer "chicken fried rice". It usually has egg, chicken, carrots, celery, and rice. The rice is usually brown-ish, so I imagine they use soy sauce. BUT, every time I try to make it at home, these things happen:

1) My rice is sticky and glutinous, while the restaurant version is almost dry (but in a good way...this is hard to explain)

2) If I use soy sauce, no matter how much I put in, it never tastes right. If I don't use soy sauce, it still doesn't taste right, but it tastes closer. So I guess there isn't any soy sauce after all?

3) Their eggs are always amusingly scrambled in small pieces without that curdled look that my scrambled eggs get. If I try to scramble the egg with the rice as it fries, bad things happen.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Is there a recipe for "restaurant style fried rice"?

Mike

 

[QSis]

Try this one, crono. Seriously. It's absolutely the closest thing to restaurant fried rice that I've ever made or tasted!

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showpost.php?p=560278&postcount=1

Lee

 

[Beachcomber]

1) My rice is sticky and glutinous, while the restaurant version is almost dry (but in a good way...this is hard to explain)

You must start with long grain rice and it must be dry, better made the day before.

2) If I use soy sauce, no matter how much I put in, it never tastes right. If I don't use soy sauce, it still doesn't taste right, but it tastes closer. So I guess there isn't any soy sauce after all?

Yes you would use soy, you could use low sodium if it tastes to salty. I also like to add a small amount of Maggi sauce which takes it over the top

3) Their eggs are always amusingly scrambled in small pieces without that curdled look that my scrambled eggs get. If I try to scramble the egg with the rice as it fries, bad things happen.

You need to crack your eggs in a bowl, beat them then drizzle the eggs as you stir. Hope this helps.

 

[plumies]

Crono, I make my fried rice the way my mother makes it and it's more homestyle fried rice. As Beachcomber said, I cook my rice the day before and then stick in the fridge overnight. Also, I use a rice cooker to make the rice but I always wash my rice to remove excess starch, this will help cut down on the stickiness. Wash it under cold water until the water is pretty clear.

I don't use soy sauce, just a bit of salt to taste.

As for the egg, I cook the eggs like Beachcomber and I cook it separately. I let the oil heat up on med-high heat. The eggs are not cooked like American scrambled eggs. I recommend working fairly quickly and taking it out while it's still very soft, even a little under cooked. After you've fried your rice and all the other ingredients, add the scrambled egg back in as the last item. This will prevent the eggs from getting tough. Mix well and the egg will finish cooking.

FWIW.

 

[crono760]

Awesome suggestions. Thanks everyone. I'll definitely try these out the next time I make this.

Mike

 

[Angie]

Try this one, crono. Seriously. It's absolutely the closest thing to restaurant fried rice that I've ever made or tasted!

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showpost.php?p=560278&postcount=1

Lee

I second that...this is really really good.

 

[DrThunder88]

What was your water:rice ratio? I find 1:1 makes tougher rice, most suitable for frying.

I will have to try that oven rice. Sounds pretty good.

 

[GrillingFool]

Cook the egg like an omelet... add a bit of sugar and sesame oil to the egg
when beating it. When it goes into the pan, let it sit, then flip, like an omelet.
Chop into little pieces!

 

[jet]

It works better for me if the cooked rice is cold to start with. I normally put it in the freezer after cooking to cool it down quickly.

 

[letscook]

My fried rice
My daughter would eat the whole bowl if I let her or at least 1/2 of eat cause I'd eat the 1/2
I don't have any exact measurement but here goes
for about 4 cups of regular cooked rice.
I cook the rice and if i have time i put in in the fridge overnite if no time thats ok
in a frying pan i saute in oil of your choice 1 onion chopped up till softened then add a clove or 2 of crushed garlic then 2 eggs lightly beaten and cook them as you would be scrambling eggs then add your rice heat through then add soy sauce to taste and frozen peas to your desire of amount. heat all through and your done
if i have them on hand i add some chopped scallions

 

[crono760]

a 1:1 water to rice ratio...That's a good idea, although I'm afraid of burning the rice...can that happen? I usually use 2:1 water to rice, and that's probably one of the reasons for its being a bit sticky...

Mike

 

[DrThunder88]

I just made some Jasmine rice yesterday for fried rice today using 1:1. Rinsed it, let it soak until the water boils, dumped the rice in the pot, brought everything to a boil, turned down the heat, covered, and simmered for 15 minutes. Worked great!

 

[Calya]

The rice is better cooked and refrigerated overnight as mentioned. If you don't cook it the day before it is best to undercook the rice slightly by adding less water.

Also, the restaurant fried rice is brown because they use a dark soy sauce that really colors the rice.

Another thing that the restaurant does is us a lot of oil to start, so that everything gets very hot and tastes better.
Hope that helps!

 

[CharlieD]

Cook long grain rice in a lot of water. Do not cook completely thru. For example it takes 20 minut to cook rice I use, I only cook for 15 minutes. Rince well in cold water and drain. Put in refrigerator overnight. Fry with a litle bit of oil and soy sauce. Fry eggs separtly. Cut them up and add to rice.