# Chinese fried rice..



## compaddict (Dec 2, 2014)

What is the secret?
Any good recipes?
I'm making something.. But not very good.
TIA,
Vince


----------



## Zwiefel (Dec 2, 2014)

compaddict said:


> What is the secret?
> Any good recipes?
> I'm making something.. But not very good.
> TIA,
> Vince



I'm not claiming to be an expert but the things I have learned: leftover rice from the day before is best, it needs to be at least cooled to room temp but fridge temp is better I think, a bit of sesame oil at the end gives a nice flavor, super duper hot skillet/wok before putting food in.


----------



## XooMG (Dec 2, 2014)

In addition to the above rice advice, do not use too much soy sauce, don't crowd the pan/wok, don't cook too long.

I think those are some of the most common issues people encounter.


----------



## Jordanp (Dec 2, 2014)

Fried rice is just about using up leftover rice and meat/veg from the night before. In my fried rice ill use leftover white rice with whatever veg/meat I have leftover then season with soy sauce, oyster sauce/hoisin, chilli oil, sesame oil, and togarashi. Obviously this is not authentic but fried rice is just about using leftovers as Zwiefel said starting in a super hot pan and moving it quickly so it doesn't stick to much to the pan, drying out the rice so its not a big clump.


----------



## compaddict (Dec 2, 2014)

Okay, I'll keep trying. I'm just not getting the flavor profile I want. I'll hit up Amazon for some better sauces.
Thanks!


----------



## bear1889 (Dec 2, 2014)

The best fried rice I ever have had was here in Indy a long time ago....the egg roll house on W 38th St. The guy cooked the rice on a flattop. He used either lard or bacon grease and always had small diced ham in it.....very light on the soy. Great egg rolls too...but alas he is no more and nothing compares to it now.

I have come close but cannot it get it there because I lack a flattop. I use very little soy. Diced veggies and just a smidgen of five spice powder in the oil. Diced ham and a fry a little chopped bacon for the flavoring.


----------



## compaddict (Dec 2, 2014)

Five spice...


----------



## boomchakabowwow (Dec 2, 2014)

hey now!!

as a Chinese person, that has eaten about 55 gallons of fried rice..i consider myself a bit of an expert. 

there are two schools of thought. hong kong style which has NO soy sauce. and the other kind. soy sauce.

i like to contradict the above. using hot rice makes things happen a lot faster and easier. i use whatever rice there is..but it helps to cook it a tad on the dry side. have everything ready.

lately, here is what i do. 
hot oil in a skillet. (i dont wok)
two eggs..get them broken up loosely.
in goes the hot rice. get it mixed up. sometimes i let it sit to fry a bit.
in goes the meat. (spam, ham, chinese sausage..whatever meat you have. i dont use much)
in goes the veggie. (i love finely sliced chinese broc stalks..but whatever veg..even frozen peas/corn)
salt, white pepper.

when it is all hot. fresh sliced green onion..get it warmed. done.


----------



## CoqaVin (Dec 2, 2014)

MSG?


----------



## MikeHL (Dec 3, 2014)

CoqaVin said:


> MSG?



Maggie's seasoning sauce. 

Day old rice warmed in the microwave and to get that wok hai, a cast iron wok/skillet heated super hot. But keep everything moving once the rice is in !


----------



## Zwiefel (Dec 3, 2014)

boomchakabowwow said:


> i like to contradict the above. using hot rice makes things happen a lot faster and easier. i use whatever rice there is..but it helps to cook it a tad on the dry side. have everything ready.



Interesting. I found when using hot rice that it tended to break-up more (can make it a bit pasty sometimes) and the rice was rather mushy...now I'm wondering what else you do differently to avoid that.....


----------



## Sambal (Dec 3, 2014)

For the style of fried rice that I like:

Very hot wok. Carbon steel is best.

Overnight rice. Freshly cooked rice is too moist and tend to clump.
Traditionally the kind of rice called jasmine rice from Thailand or China is best.
I also use basmati because the loose discrete grains in its texture works well.
It's good to make sure that your rice is not in clumps - break it up, get it loose.

Resist overloading with too much ingredients. 
I like crab meat, prawns, eggs, garlic chive flowers, snow peas, garlic, shallots. Sometimes, salted fish diced very small and/or dried shrimps.
Generally, avoid stuff with high water content like green leafy veggies for instance, or tomatoes - not that you'd use these I'm sure.

Quick fiery hot stirfry. First lightly brown the ingredients that you need to before adding the rice. 
Timing is crucial. Cook it too long and it becomes soggy. You want it fluffy and light.
Cook in smallish portions. Even with a multiple ring gas stove you'd be challenged to get it right if you do a meal for say 4 or 5 people in one large batch.

A few shakes of very good sesame oil just before serving.


----------



## Talim (Dec 3, 2014)

Actually what you want is rice that's slightly on the drier side than what you would normally eat as white rice. This why using day old rice is better than freshly cooked rice. Heating it up in the microwave further dries it up and plus you don't have to wait for it to heat up during cooking.


----------



## pkjames (Dec 3, 2014)

Yes, over night left over rice is the trick


----------



## XooMG (Dec 3, 2014)

Sambal said:


> Generally, avoid stuff with high water content like green leafy veggies for instance, or tomatoes - not that you'd use these I'm sure.


Tomato and egg fried rice is delicious...one of my favorite variants.


----------



## Sambal (Dec 3, 2014)

XooMG said:


> Tomato and egg fried rice is delicious...one of my favorite variants.



Really? I'm very curious. Can you describe this? Tomatoes diced or in slices? Lightly cooked or well cooked in?


----------



## cclin (Dec 3, 2014)

XooMG said:


> Tomato and egg fried rice is delicious...one of my favorite variants.





Sambal said:


> Really? I'm very curious. Can you describe this? Tomatoes diced or in slices? Lightly cooked or well cooked in?



Tomato egg fried rice is very common dish in Taiwan; Janpaness also use tomato fried rice inside of Omurice. However, tomato egg fried rice doesn't use really "tomato", it just use "ketchup" for seasoning....


----------



## mikemac (Dec 3, 2014)

cclin said:


> ....However, tomato egg fried rice doesn't use really "tomato", it just use "ketchup" for seasoning....



...a seasoning whose origin is traced to China, and other regions of Asia.


----------



## cclin (Dec 3, 2014)

Zwiefel said:


> Interesting. I found when using hot rice that it tended to break-up more (can make it a bit pasty sometimes) and the rice was rather mushy...now I'm wondering what else you do differently to avoid that.....


Mushy/soaking meaning too much moist content in fried rice.......high heat & speedy stir fry is key point to make great fried rice.
when you use flash steam rice, make sure you cook the rice little bit harder (use only 85% water). Use gentle push & scoops up action when you stir fry, avoids chopping action to break up the rice.
[video=youtube;wvSJcFTAv3o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvSJcFTAv3o&index=23&list=WL"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvSJcFTAv3o&index=23&list=WL[/video]


----------



## echerub (Dec 3, 2014)

Lotta good info here.

The only thing I'll add is to remember your additional ingredients may add moisture. If you use too much "wet" ingredients, your fried rice will be mushy.

No need to add MSG, I'd say. If you use some mushrooms (what are they called in English? dried shiitake mushrooms?... dice them up after soaking, you don't need too much), add a little soya and a little sesame oil, and use nice high heat when cooking, you'll have good flavor.

The sesame oil is key. If I forget to add some in, it always feels like something is missing. A little goes a long way though.


----------



## XooMG (Dec 3, 2014)

cclin said:


> Tomato egg fried rice is very common dish in Taiwan; Janpaness also use tomato fried rice inside of Omurice. However, tomato egg fried rice doesn't use really "tomato", it just use "ketchup" for seasoning....


We use diced tomatoes at home, or sometimes drained a bit to reduce the risk of sogginess, but it's generally fine if the tomatoes are fried with egg before getting incorporated into the rice.


----------



## chinacats (Dec 3, 2014)

Great thread! My takeaway from Charles video is more oil and more egg than I've been using.


----------



## Sambal (Dec 3, 2014)

I like the dancing rice bit! It's all about high heat and keeping it light and fluffy.

Xoo, I'll have a go at the tomato and egg combo. Thanks.

Oh, and Chinese sausage (Larp Cheong) is also great with fried rice. But my favourite ingredient for this is crab meat and prawns.


----------



## echerub (Dec 3, 2014)

Lap Cheung (la chang) is absolutely fantastic with fried rice. Great just steamed with white rice in the pot, too.


----------



## berko (Dec 3, 2014)

nobody mentioning sugar?


----------



## King_Matt (Dec 3, 2014)

mix beaten eggs with the rice before you fry so they are all evenly coated


----------



## compaddict (Dec 3, 2014)

Black or dark Soy has molasses. I have heard that.


----------



## echerub (Dec 4, 2014)

I don't add sugar, but there could be some regional variations that do.


----------



## mikemac (Dec 4, 2014)

You professionals probably know this, but for civilians (like me)...really high heat is essential to wok cooking. If you look and listen you'll hear the chef constantly turning the gas on and off (I first saw it at 50 seconds, and he does it a lot during the cook) - partly because of this being a video shoot, but I've seen the same technique in restaurants too. I have and use a propane wok burner and it does a really great job - first time I used it I burned ingredients. You can barely, BAREL get similar results cooking for 1 on a typical stove (in the US), but cooking anything more than a small dish and you really can't get close to the heat needed for the results desired. Good news is I think the wok burner was under $100


----------



## boomchakabowwow (Dec 4, 2014)

i imagined the spirit of this thread focusing on the home cook. basic home range top.

if you can get a wok with blistering jet engine heat..KUDOS!! that is the best way. then you damn well better have all the ingredients ready and at you side. it goes down very very fast.

my step dad had a chinese restaurant. what i learned at the pro wok burner doesnt even translate to my wimpy ass stovetop. i still remember my first batch of fried rice. super fun.

i use a turkey fryer burner when i need horsepower. that happens outside. which is a good thing. woks and indoors, is a disaster. without an awesome vent hood. this turkey burner is the best deer camp cook tool. the best.


----------



## mckemaus (Dec 4, 2014)

Use day old rice, like other have mentioned.

Separate yolks and white. Mix yolk with the rice thoroughly.

Heat about 2 tbsp of oil on med to med-hi. Stir-fry the white first, then add a lot of roughly chopped green onion (4 or 5 stalks for your avg leftover rice, chopped to about 5 mm.) 

After the green onion is slightly wilted, add ham, pea or leftover bbq pork and increase heat to hi for a quick stir. Remove stir-fry from pan and reserve for later.

Add more oil and reduce heat to med-hi. Stir-fry the yolk mixed rice. As it cook , it will become drier and separate. The clumps will go away.

Add the eggwhite/ham mixture for a quick thorough mixing. Removed from heat.

Add a dash of soy sauce and one last mixing.

... Done


----------



## panda (Dec 4, 2014)

Lots of butter.


----------



## cclin (Dec 5, 2014)

mckemaus said:


> Separate yolks and white. Mix yolk with the rice thoroughly.


+1, the fried rice will outcome with a beautiful yellow color, Chinese call this "golden fried rice". you can taste egg every bite & rice won't stick together easily! avoid soy sauce, use salt, pepper, sugar & chicken stock powder for seasoning,. soy sauce will ruin nice golden color.


----------



## stereo.pete (Dec 6, 2014)

mckemaus said:


> Use day old rice, like other have mentioned.
> 
> Separate yolks and white. Mix yolk with the rice thoroughly.
> 
> ...



I did this and it rocked!


----------



## sw2geeks (Dec 9, 2014)

When I was a kid I worked in a Chinese restaurant and was always fascinated watching the cooks. For fried rice they would fill a large white bucket with steamed rice and cover it with a towel and place that in the walk-in refrigerator at night to use the next day when they made fried rice. They used MSG & Soy Sauce as the main flavoring ingredients and used the thick molasses based dark soy sauce to add a dark color to the rice. When I fix fried rice I add BBQ pork, tiny dried shrimp and finely chopped Chinese sausage which adds a lots of flavor. I have some pics somewhere of a big batch I made for a party, I will see if I can find them.


----------



## compaddict (Dec 9, 2014)

Thanks!


----------



## DDPslice (Dec 10, 2014)

I like using my cast iron, first I use butter or cook bacon (once bacon is fried I remove and mince), frozen veggies with peas carrots corn and edamame (Costco, baby!) thrift and throw in diced onions, fry down, thrown in my rice, soy and garlic at the last moments I'll throw in an egg. Usually the rice is old but last week I was on a binge ( got wasabi mayo from trader joe's) and i found i got good results if i didnt soak my basmati rice and used it strait from the hot pot 

That's a good point to separate the whites and yokes


----------



## CutFingers (Dec 15, 2014)

a dab of oyster sauce works wonders.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Dec 16, 2014)

So, not only should you use cold rice, but try laying it out , uncovered overnight, so it dries out.

The reason for using eggs is to keep the rice from popping all over the place while it fries.

The part most don't get is the "frying". Lots of fat. Let it sit and fry till you achieve crispy bits, kinda like hash browns. The soy is added at the end to rehydrate a bit.

I use black soy, as it adds a touch of sweet and sticky.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Dec 16, 2014)

Also, try adding some fresh Hmong beans, shaved jalapeno, cilantro and lime zest just before plating to really brighten the flavors and texture.

Not traditional, but delicious.


----------



## Zwiefel (Dec 16, 2014)

NO ChoP! said:


> Also, try adding some fresh Hmong beans, shaved jalapeno, cilantro and lime zest just before plating to really brighten the flavors and texture.
> 
> Not traditional, but delicious.



Not traditional at all...but sounds pretty darn good.


----------



## compaddict (Dec 22, 2014)

Third batch is much better! Found some high quality Sesame oil and Oyster sauce. 
I know I didn't mention I was using Cauliflower instead of rice!


----------



## akirapuff (Jan 15, 2015)

i like my fried rice done in a wok for that flavor, chili oil is nice too


----------



## Bill13 (Feb 19, 2015)

Making some for the Chinese New Year tonight!! For any KKF members who may not know the Good Fortune grocery store opened up about a month ago in the Eden Center. It is really nice - great place for produce and seafood.


----------



## jphy (Feb 19, 2015)

boomchakabowwow said:


> hey now!!
> 
> as a Chinese person, that has eaten about 55 gallons of fried rice..i consider myself a bit of an expert.
> 
> ...



Eggs first is the secret, supposed to help keep the rice from sticking. I toss a little bit of hon dashi in just to fish things out a bit.


----------



## Bill13 (Feb 19, 2015)

mckemaus said:


> Use day old rice, like other have mentioned.
> 
> Separate yolks and white. Mix yolk with the rice thoroughly.
> 
> ...



Now that was damn good!! I added some edamame for more vegetables which brought the dish down - less authentic, but trying to eat a few more veggies as I get older.

This was a keeper.


----------



## Bonertyme (Apr 20, 2015)

the secret is having a wok and super hot oil before frying. Ginger and garlic can never go wrong


----------



## b2kk258 (Apr 24, 2015)

-Use a really Hot wok (get the oil to smoking point)

-Stir Fry the ingredients separately

-Don't over crowd the pan, it will cause everything to boil

-And what I think is personally important, add soy at the very end. Additionally, I don't put the soy directly on top of the ingredients but the edge of the wok so the soy can caramelize and cook out that raw bitter taste of the soy.


----------



## sharptools (Jul 26, 2015)

Soy in fried rice is a very american style fried rice. I don't think I have ever since much soy at all in fried rice from China at all. Even then usually only in very specific types of fried rice.

One of the main criteria for me to avoid a chinese restaurant like the plague is brown fried rice (from soy). If you like soy based fried rice that is fine. People in china love Panda Express too...but pretty sure no one considers it chinese food.

Couple of things for me to make good fried rice

Overnight rice. Any wet ingredients (including eggs) are used to adjust the "wetness" of your fried rice.

Very Hot Burner with seasoned wok. You can't re-produce the sear taste otherwise. (this is even more important for things like fried rice noodles)

Run oil through your wok (and empty) before adding oil just like in that video. This makes sure nothing sticks and you're actually making fried rice and not re-steaming it. Metal to rice baby!

Chicken powder is pretty much is/replacement for MSG and you'll find it in a lot of fried rice.

Egg first/later is dependent on type of fried rice. For example, egg first for egg fried rice, egg later for yang chow fried rice (you want chunks) etc.

Something a lot of ppl probably don't realize. You'll find finely chopped up lettuce in a lot of types of fried rice.


----------



## RTGolden (Jul 31, 2015)

Super hot wok or skillet (turkey fryer burner or wok stove from asian market)
Lil oil swirly
2 well beaten eggs. They bloom almost immediately in rippin hot oil. Tossem till barely cooked, like 6 seconds. I takem out of the pan to a perforated bowl and choppem up in said bowl with the wok shovel.
Into the hot wok goes some chopped kimchi. 
Day old rice next
msg or chicken powder optional
egg back in and toss toss toss to incorporate. 
Shaved scallions on long bias
on the plate.
cold beer

Just my take. Cool versions in this thread!


----------



## clsm1955 (Dec 22, 2015)

Day old rice works well, but if you don't have any try the following:
Rinse your rice thoroughly. I put my rice in a strainer immersed in a bowl of water. I stir the rice by hand a few times, then lift out the rice, empty the water out of the bowl, and repeat a few times until the water stays clear. I cook the rice at a 4 to 3 water to rice ratio covered for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the rice in the covered pot for another 20 minutes. I then put the rice in a large flat container and fan it, turning occasionally, until cool. If you then use the rice in your fried rice it will retain it's slightly firm and chewy texture.
I cut my vegetables really small, to avoid having any big hunks of mushy vegetables in my dish. I also cut the meat small and try to avoid using too much. I start by frying the egg in the wok, then removing it, then I fry garlic and ginger in the wok, add the vegetables, then season with soy sauce and oyster sauce. If I'm adding meat I will add pre-cooked meat here. I then add the rice and finish with chopped scallions, the egg, and maybe some chopped peanuts.


----------



## boomchakabowwow (Jan 27, 2016)

i just got back from a long car camping bow hunt.

a wok + turkey fryer + rice + random ingredients = awesome camp food that is fast and a great carb loader.


----------

