Make Chinese at home with this easy fried rice recipe, using leftovers
Fried rice is one of my favorite Asian restaurant dishes to make at home. You don’t need a zillion ingredients to cook perfect fried rice, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers.
Just combine refrigerated cooked rice with some aromatics (garlic, ginger, scallions), eggs, soy sauce, any fresh or frozen vegetables (carrot, edamame, peas, lima beans, broccoli florets. baby spinach, or chopped bok choy), some raw or cooked protein (tofu, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, or salmon).
Fried rice can be served on its own or as part of a Chinese meal. I like to use a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok, which allows the ingredients to heat up quickly and evenly without overcooking. Another advantage of using a wok is that the larger surface gives you room to toss everything together.
It’s best to rinse whatever rice is chosen (I prefer jasmine) in cold water several times before cooking. One cup of uncooked rice will make about 4 servings. To prevent clumping, spread the cooked rice on a baking sheet, fluffing it with a fork, and refrigerate until ready to stir-fry.
Fried rice comes together in about 15 minutes if all the ingredients are measured and prepped before you heat the wok. Heat wok until the oil is shimmering. Cook the protein first, if using, and remove it from the pan. Add aromatics and vegetables and stir fry. Add rice, reserved protein, sauce, and stir fry.
Serve immediately, topped with one fried sunny-side egg per serving (if desired), extra scallion greens, and Sriracha or chili garlic sauce if desired.
Tanuki River Landing Vegetable Fried Rice
This recipe is adapted from Executive Chef Jose Briceno of Tanuki River Landing. It is part of their delightful Sunday Brunch menu.
The Robert Mondavi 2021 Sparkling Rosé Napa Valley ($35) adds complementary notes of citrus and stone fruit flavors and bright acidity to this recipe. Plus, it stands up to the eggs in the fried rice and pairs well with the vegetables.
3 cups cooked rice (preferably cold, leftover rice)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
4 scallions, white, pale green, and dark green parts separated, thinly sliced
1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4-6 sunny-side-up fried eggs (optional)
Make sure all your ingredients are ready to go before you start cooking. This includes dicing the onions, mincing the garlic, grating the ginger and mixing the sauces.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat.
Add the diced onions, minced garlic, and ginger to the skillet. Stir-fry until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant about 2-3 minutes.
Add the mixed vegetables and the white part of the scallions to the wok. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until they are crisp-tender.
Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet. Pour the beaten eggs into the other side and scramble them until fully cooked.
Add the cooked rice and cooked protein to the wok or skillet. Break up any clumps and mix well with the vegetables and eggs.
Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using) and sesame oil. Stir-fry everything together for a few more minutes until the rice is evenly coated with the sauces and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and garnish with fried egg (if desired), and reserved chopped green scallions. Serve hot.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
