Fried Rice
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Fried Rice is a wonderful recipe to add to your Chinese Dinner Menu. Or add in pieces of chopped meat, and it becomes a light summer dinner.
When the days turn hot, I find myself craving this dish. Scoop me up a bowlful with a piece of crusty sourdough and a glass of white wine. Oh my! Life is good!
Ingredients Needed to Make Fried Rice
- peanut oil, divided
- minced onion
- frozen peas
- carrot
- minced garlic
- kosher salt
- chili powder
- freshly ground black pepper
- cooked diced chicken, pork, or ham (optional)
- chicken broth
- reduced sodium soy sauce
- large eggs (3 of them)
- boiled white rice, prepared ahead of time
Substitutions for this Recipe
This recipe is very versatile. I’ve made it many ways. Sometimes I make this as my main course and will add in 1-2 cups of fried pork cutlets, or chicken tenders, chopped into bite-size pieces. Sometimes, I want more of a side dish, with only 1/2 cup of diced ham. Lunchmeat works great. Little slivers of it.
If you chose to add pieces of meat to the dish, you may cook the pieces at the very beginning in the same pan you’ll use for the vegetables and rice. Just add the meat in at the beginning. Cook in oil and once it’s brown, place the meat in a bowl and move onward with the recipe directions.
Regarding the vegetables. Peas and rice are a great combination. But this is stir-fry, so you could also add in frozen mixed vegetables. Or maybe you have some fresh vegetable odds and ends in the fridge that you want to use. Like a few mushrooms. Or a zucchini. Or some broccoli. Go ahead and change things up. Add whatever vegetables you desire at the same time you would add the peas.
On Rice. I like white rice with this dish, but I’ve also used brown rice, which adds a nice nutty texture to the dish. Both ways are good. Again, this is very versatile, and it’s hard to go wrong!
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather ingredients for this recipe so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Prepare the ingredients. Peel and grate the carrot. Mince the onion and garlic. Slice ham into small pieces. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large skillet, heat 1/8 cup oil and saute the minced onion, grated carrot, and minced garlic along with salt, chili powder, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add peas and stir-fry for another 4-5 minutes.
Use a large skillet, so you have plenty of room to scoot the ingredients around as needed. For instance, in the beginning, you’ll saute the vegetables and seasonings.
Add sliced chicken, pork, or ham, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Cook until heated through. Then you’ll add the eggs.
I find it works best to scoot the vegetables to the edges of the pan, which leaves the center open. Add the eggs to this center part where you can scramble them easily.
Scramble the eggs until they are semi-cooked. Then mix the eggs into the other ingredients.
Stir in rice and cook on medium high. You may need to add more oil at this point, so it helps to scoot portions to the side so you can do so. The rice should be shiny and should not stick together.
Tips on Making Fried Rice
One of the best tips I can offer is to use rice that has been prepared a day or two ahead. The rice just cooks better when it’s cold and hard vs warm and sticky.
Before serving, be sure to taste the rice. If it needs more seasoning, be sure to add it. Sometimes I will add more soy sauce to everything. Just because I like the way it tastes. I’ve learned to use low-sodium soy sauce, however.
This recipe will serve 8-10 people. Serve Fried Rice with Egg Drop Soup or Egg Rolls.
See more Chinese Recipes Here.
Fried Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup peanut oil divided
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 small carrot peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 cups cooked diced chicken, pork, or diced ham optional
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce reduced sodium
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 3 cups boiled white rice best if 1-2 days old
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Prepare your ingredients. Mince the onion and garlic. Peel and grate the carrot. Slice meat as desired. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a large skillet, heat 1/8 cup oil and saute minced onion, shredded carrot, and minced garlic along with salt, chili powder, and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add peas and stir-fry for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add prepared chicken, pork, or ham, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Cook until heated through.
- Push ingredients to side of pan so that the center of the pan is empty. Add beaten eggs to the center. Scramble until semi-cooked. Mix eggs into other ingredients.
- Stir in rice and cook on medium high. If pan becomes too dry, add more oil as needed. Rice should be shiny and should not stick together. Serves 8-10
