Fried Rice
Fried rice is a classic, it’s so good and appeals to pretty much every set of tastebuds. It’s also a super simple recipe and comes together in about 45 minutes. Or, if you use leftover rice, just 20 minutes will make it so much more flavorful and packed with veggies. My fried rice is full of delicious spices and vegetables, sauteed to perfection and combined with the most classic and authentic ingredients.
This recipe is also great because it’s super customizable, you can switch up the vegetables, add protein of your choice, and even switch up the seasoning. For example, I’ve heard that oyster sauce is a great addition, but you could totally leave it out if you don’t eat seafood!
Let’s start with the rice. I always work with short grain or medium grain rice, which you can probably find at your local supermarket. I have tried it with basmati, but I find that it just disintegrates and gets this unpleasant mushy texture. I start by parboiling the rice in water to get it mostly cooked, then I saute it with the spices and veggies at the end.
As for the veggies, I use carrots, onions, scallions (spring onions), garlic, peas, and corn. I always add extra to make sure that it is about a 1:1 proportion of rice (or even more veggies). The veggies are super delicious, which is why I love to add lots! You could probably customize here with zucchini, red onion, squash, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and/or brussel sprouts! So many options to make every batch super different and super delicious.
For protein, I like to start with eggs. Eggs are classic in fried rice, but if you’re following a vegan diet you can skip this part. Or, if you want a high protein lower fat version, add egg whites. This fried rice is also delicious with extra protein added. You can do chicken, beef, shrimp, or even tofu! For that, I would cut the protein into small 1″ chunks and marinate it in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chinese five spice, and white pepper. Basically the same spices as I add into the actual fried rice. Marinating them separately for about an hour, then sauteing or grilling them in a separate pan would work great. Then, add them back at the end and enjoy!
And finally, seasoning. I start with a neutral oil (like sunflower, canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil) because it doesn’t need the added flavor of olive oil, which I typically use. Then, the soy sauce. I prefer a lower-sodium soy sauce and just adjust it with salt as needed. For spices, I like Chinese five-spice (cloves, cinnamon, anise, fennel, peppercorns) and white pepper. In the end, I add toasted sesame oil which adds some great flavor. That’s it! Now, for the actual recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups medium-grain rice, dry
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt plus extra if needed
- 4 medium carrots, peeled
- 4 scallions
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 medium white onions
- 3/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- In a small pot, add your medium grain rice, 1 tsp salt, and water. Turn the stove on medium high heat until the water starts to bubble, then cover with the lid and turn on low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on, letting the rice sit for 5 minutes. Then, dump it out onto a plate or baking sheet and gently spread it out. Don’t press on it, or it will start to clump up. Let it sit like that for roughly 20 minutes until it is cooled down. You can also work with leftover rice, in which case you’ll probably need about 3 cups of cooked rice.
- While the rice is cooling, cut up your veggies. Mince your carrots, garlic, and onions, then slice your scallions. Your frozen peas and corn should be good to go. If using fresh corn, just cut it off the cob and separate the kernels.
- Heat up a large cast iron skillet, wok, or pan (whatever you have should work). Add the neutral oil and the carrots, onions, garlic, and scallions. Saute them gently, mixing occasionally, for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the butter and mix. Push your veggies to one side of the pan.
- In a bowl, scramble up your eggs. Pour them into the cast iron and keep agitating them with a wooden spoon ro spatula until they’re cooked. Then, mix them up with the rest of the stuff in the pan and add the corn, peas, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, white pepper, ginger, and cooled rice. Stir gently and let the whole mix saute until the rice is lightly golden brown and delicious. Top with toasted sesame oil and adjust the seasoning with extra salt. Enjoy!
Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups medium grain rice
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt plus extra
- 4 medium carrots peeled
- 4 scallions
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 medium onions
- 3/4 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower oil)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Start by cooking the rice. In a small pot over medium-high heat, add the water, rice, and 1 tsp of salt. When it starts boiling, put the lid on and turn the heat down to low for 15 minutes.
- Keep the lid on and leave the rice untouched for 5 minutes. Then, pour it out onto a baking sheet or plate and spread it out gently. Importantly, do not mush it or it will clump together. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
- While the rice is cooling, prepare your veggies. Mince the carrots, onions, and garlic, and slice the scallions. Get your peas and corn out of the freezer and break them up if you need to. If you're using fresh corn, just slice it off the cob.
- Heat up a large cast-iron or nonstick pan, then add your neutral oil. Saute your carrots, onions, garlic, and scallions until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the butter and stir.
- Push the veggies to one side of the pan. In a small bowl, scramble the eggs and pour them into the pan. Keep on stirring them with a wooden spoon or spatula until cooked through, then stir with the rest of the vegetables in the pan.
- Add the rice, corn, peas, soy sauce, ginger, Chinese five-spice, and white pepper. Mix gently and saute for another 10 minutes until the rice is lightly browned. Add the sesame oil and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Macros: 25.5 g fat, 64.5 g carbohydrates, 16.9 g protein
- See the blog post above for more details about each step and how to customize the recipe! I provide tips on the selection of rice, seasoning, veggies, and protein choice.