Whether you serve it as the main entrée or a side dish, fried rice is easy to make and delicious and with this guide you’ll figure out how to make fried rice in no time at all. Although historically a Chinese dish, people around the world use it to transform their old left-over meat and vegetable into something new and tasty.
- Traditional American Style Fried Rice frequently includes bits of pork, chicken, beef, or for an entrée style dish, shrimp along with egg, onions and vegetables such as celery, carrots, bean sprouts and peas.
- Filipino Style Fried Rice is often made of bits of pork, sausage or hot dog along with egg, onions and lots of garlic.
- Japanese Style Fried Rice commonly features bits of meat such as shrimp, ham or bacon along with green pepper, onions, carrots and surprisingly, no egg.
With rice being the only irreplaceable ingredient, fried rice gives cooks creative freedom to experiment and create their own versions.
Chicken & Egg Fried Rice Recipe
So think of the chicken & egg fried rice recipe listed below as a simple guide to process of making fried rice. Feel free to eliminate, add or substitute your own meats and vegetables to taste. This freedom is exactly what makes it a fantastic dish to try anytime.
Ingredients:
- Day old rice
- Cooking oil
- Egg
- Garlic, minced
- Green onion, minced
- Chicken meat, minced (cooked or raw)
- Carrot, minced
- Green pepper, minced
- White onion, minced
- Celery, minced
- Soy sauce (to taste-a little can go a long way)
- Pepper (to taste)
Preparing the Rice
How to Make Fried Rice
The rice should be somewhat dry and not too sticky. That is why day old rice works so well for this recipe. However, if you don’t have day old rice, you can still make fried rice with fresh rice but you will need to make some adjustments. Use less water to cook the rice. This will make it drier. Also chill it in the refrigerator or freezer before cooking the fried rice. You need to remove as much of the moisture and stickiness of fresh rice as possible.
Procedures:
Step 1:
Mince all meat and vegetables including the garlic. Heat a small amount of oil in frying pan. When hot, add half of the garlic. Remove the garlic when golden brown and put to the side.
Step 2:
Check the amount of oil left in the pan. If necessary, add oil. Cook the raw minced chicken. If you are using already cooked meat, skip to step #3. Remove the chicken when cooked and set aside.
Step 3:
Check oil level again. You do not need a lot but there should be enough left to cover the bottom of the pan. Beat egg(s) in a small bowl. Add green onions and the minced cooked chicken. Pour into frying pan and scramble. Remove and set aside. Clean the pan.
Step 4:
Set heat on high and add oil. When oil is hot, add white onions and remaining uncooked garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the rice and break apart the chunks. You should mix the oil into to the rice to help it heat evenly. Be careful about adding too much oil as it will give it a greasy taste and feel.
Step 5:
As the rice heats in the pan, add the uncooked vegetables and soy sauce. Stir well and often while cooking. When vegetables are almost cooked, add previously cooked garlic, egg mixture and chicken. It is normal for a little rice to stick in the pan. If seems excessive, then cautiously add a little oil. Mix everything well while continuing to cook. Serve when all ingredients are hot.
Fried rice is an excellent way to experiment with different meat and vegetable combinations as well as to clean out those “left-over” items sitting at the back of your refrigerator. The techniques are simple and the ingredients are as cheap or as expensive as you like. Let loose your inner chef and try to make your own style fried rice tonight.
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