ISO Fried Rice Recipe

[AllenOK]

This is a good, basic, side-dish, however, if you use most of the meats listed, you will get a “house special” entrée. Someone mentioned Spam. I wouldn't be surprised if you can actually Spam fried rice in Hawaii. They love Spam over there.
If you have a gas stove, I would recommend using a wok. However, if you have an electric stove, you would probably be better suited using a large cast iron skillet. Electric just doesn’t generate enough heat to get the proper “wok hay”, or that seared taste and appearance on the ingredients. So, use a cast iron skillet, get it smoking hot, then add the oil and proceed. Never turn the heat down from high, as you’ll need all the heat you can get to cook this properly and quickly.
This is one of those dishes where everything MUST be prepped before you begin cooking. I highly recommend having everything you need lined up in the order you will use it, so that you don’t have to do to much running around while the food is cooking over extremely high heat.

Ok, here's what I do:

Basic Chinese Fried Rice
Yields: 4 side dish servings, or 2 entrée servings

2 T peanut oil
1 egg, beaten
1 T dark soy
1 T dry sherry or sake
1 t minced garlic
1 t minced gingerroot
¼ t turmeric, optional
2 T chopped onions
2 T chopped green onions
2 T sliced carrots, on a bias
2 T peas, or snow peas
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
3 – 4 c cooked, COLD rice
salt and pepper to taste
Optional meat items:
3 – 4 oz meat of your choice, julienned, such as beef cutlets, pork cutlets, chicken thighs, etc.; or, peeled, deveined shrimp, small bay scallops, or lump crabmeat

In a small saucepan, rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms in a small amount of boiling water for about 5 – 10 minutes. Julienne the meat, and marinate the meat with the soy, sherry/sake, garlic, gingerroot, and the turmeric if desired. Combine the onions, green onions, carrots, and peas in a bowl and set aside. Squeeze all the liquid from the mushrooms. Shred the mushrooms, and add to the vegetables. Place the mushroom liquid back on the stove, and reduce until almost dry. Drain the marinade from the meat, and add the marinade to what’s left of the mushroom liquid. Scramble the egg and set aside.
Make sure that you have all the ingredients ready to go, with the oil, egg, meat(s), veggies, rice, and the marinade/mushroom liquid all within reach, and preferably arrange in order of use.
Heat a wok or skillet just until it starts to smoke fairly heavily. Add the oil and swirl it around the pan to coat the pan. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the egg and quickly scramble it, then remove the egg curds and add them to the rice. Add the meat, garlic, and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, and stir for about a minute. Cover and steam for 1 minute. Add the rice and pepper. Add the reserved liquids, stir, and cover. Once the rice has completely turned color, is heated throughout, and starts to stick, then it’s done. This entire dish should only take about 5 minutes to cook, start to finish. Pour the rice into a serving bowl and enjoy as an entrée, or as part of a larger meal with several other dishes.

[Caine]

Sesame oil is for adding flavour at the end of the cooking cycle, not for food preparation. Stir fry in peanut oil, then splash in a few drops of sesame oil just as the food is finished cooking. A few drops go a long way.

[*amy*]

Originally Posted by Drummercook

anyone got any good recipes/techniques on how to make fried rice? ive never made it before but it sounds great! I've got no idea about it though, could you serve it as a main dish if the ingredients you add are hearty enough?

Fried rice can be a main or side dish. Years ago, I picked up a little Kikkoman cookbook, and tried several recipes (including fried rice) that were actually pretty good - and easy. Can't post them here, but here's a link:

http://www.kikkomanusa.com/general/r...=searchresults

As mentioned, I also use cooked plain rice, scramble a few eggs, cook them separately (add stir-fried green onions, if you like), chop 'em up or cut into ribbons, & set aside. Then prepare the rest of the dish, adding shrimp, crab, chinese sausage, pork, chicken.

A quick method - prepare a pkg of stir fry veggies w a little soy sauce & ginger, add the rice & cook thru. If you like, you could also add in chunks of pineapple. If you have any left overs (lobster would be a goodie), add them in.

The search results aren't coming up - so key in fried rice.

[BreezyCooking]

I make main-dish fried rice all the time, using whatever I have on hand, but normally - small shrimp, turkey ham, chicken, diced bok choy, diced carrots, green peas, bean sprouts, broccoli slaw mix, & of course, always 1 or 2 beaten eggs.

Key tips? As others have posted, make your rice either the day before or at least in the morning so it has time to dry & chill. Second, also as posted before, sesame oil is a SEASONING, NOT a cooking oil. Use peanut oil to cook your ingredients; use a sprinkling of sesame oil (or hot chili sesame oil - my favorite) as a condiment when the dish is finished.

[Claire]

Fried rice is one of those things that a recipe really doesn't apply, to me. You use leftovers .... left over rice, left over meats of various kinds, and the odds and ends of the veggies in the fridge. You need some oil, and to me some chilies or chili paste, and some soy sauce. But it is one of those dishes of necessity. When I lived in Hawaii, everyone made up rice in a cooker every day, so there was plenty of leftover rice. Then at the last minute you throw an egg or two in and scramble it.

[jabbur]

We usually add toated sesame seeds to ours. Also a little butter at the end for flavor. My son works as a hibachi chef in a Japanese restaurant so he makes it the way they do at the restaurant. Gas is definitly better than electric for making fried rice. We have a hard time getting the skillet hot enough for really crisp rice here at home. It usully comes out softer here than when he cooks on the grill at work.

[Lady DeWinters]

Left over rice. ALWAYS use left over rice. Make sure the wok is hot before you add the rice. I stir-fry the onions (MUST HAVE ONIONS) then egg and whatever you want to add (shrimp/veggies/ etc)

I always use sesame oil and chilli oil towards the end.

[keltin]

I actually use fresh rice and have good results. To prepare the rice, I allow 2 cups of water for 1 cup of dry rice. In a pot, I brown the dry rice in butter and oil, then add the water. Once the water comes to a boil, I cover the pot, turn to low, and walk away. I check it in 15 – 20 minutes, and when nearly all the water has been absorbed, I pull the pot to the side (covered) and allow it to cool and finish absorbing the water. Then, wash the rice in cold water and put it in the fridge till cold.

For stir-fry, I use onions, shredded or finely diced carrots, and sometimes peas and chopped chicken or pork loin. I stir-fry the veggies first for a few minutes, then add the rice and stir-fry a few minutes more, then move the mixture to the sides of the pan and create a well in the middle. To the well I add 2 beaten eggs and scramble till firm, then mix it all together. Finally, I add 2-3 Tbsp of soy, stir-fry 1 minute more, and it’s done.

[Lady DeWinters]

Really? I find that using fresh rice makes the fried rice seem a bit mushy... then again, maybe it's just me. I've never cooked rice in a pot. Have always depended on the good old rice cooker.

[Caine]

Originally Posted by keltin

I actually use fresh rice and have good results. To prepare the rice, I allow 2 cups of water for 1 cup of dry rice. In a pot, I brown the dry rice in butter and oil, then add the water. Once the water comes to a boil, I cover the pot, turn to low, and walk away. I check it in 15 – 20 minutes, and when nearly all the water has been absorbed, I pull the pot to the side (covered) and allow it to cool and finish absorbing the water. Then, wash the rice in cold water and put it in the fridge till cold.

And by the time it gets cold, it IS leftover rice!