I never order fried rice when I get Chinese carry-out. It seems like a waste of an order or something. But whenever someone else orders it and I try some, I do always like it. Plus I remember that my mom used to make it for us sometimes as a way to use up leftovers – and that frugality still appeals to me.
The recipe below essentially combines the recipes on TheWokofLife.com website for vegetable fried rice and chicken fried rice, and then dumbs it down for the American cook. You could easily substitute just about any protein – shrimp, tofu, beef …
Prep 8oz of chicken (slice it and marinate in 1t soy sauce, 1t cornstarch + 1/2t sesame oil while you prepare the rest of the dish)
Cook 1c of (dry) rice. (Add to the cooking water 2t dark soy sauce, 2t regular soy sauce, 1t sesame oil, 1/2t salt) (If you use leftover rice, the seasonings can be added as sauce after you heat the rice in your pan)
Cook your eggs (2 eggs, whisked with 1/2t Shao Xing wine + salt & pepper). I scramble them in my small non-stick frypan that’s designated just for cooking eggs. Turn off the heat when they’re still half wet; the heat of the pan will finish them.
Chop your veggies & aromatics.
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2c onion (or shallot or green onion…)
1/4c chopped carrot (less than half of even a small carrot – you really just want a pop of orange in your dish)
3-5 different veggies, chopped into bite-size pieces – between 1/2 and 1 cup each
snow peas, green peas, green beans, bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus …
1c bean sprouts
Make your fried rice:
Medium heat: 2T oil, garlic, onion(s) and carrots for 60 seconds.
Medium heat: add your other veggies for another 2-3 minutes (except snow peas, asparagus, bean sprouts and the green parts of your green onions – save those to the end)
High heat: Add your rice and quickly combine everything. (If using leftover rice, you need to cook for 2-3 minutes until the rice is nice and hot, then add your soy sauce mixture)
High heat: Add cooked eggs + the last of your veggies. Cook just until heated through.
High heat: Swirl 1T shaoxing wine around the perimeter of your pan and combine.