Making homemade fried rice seemed to be a daunting task, so I waited a long time before I tried to make it. Now that I have made it, I realized the most difficult part is the prep of cutting the vegetables and making the sticky rice. The recipe comes together quickly. I actually stole 2 different recipes to make this dish, one recipe for the sticky rice instructions which I stole from Food Network Kitchen, Wilson Eng, The New York Cabbie Cookbook and one recipe for the fried rice instructions which I stole from FoodNetwork.com.
Did you know? Rice feeds more of the world’s population than any other food. Sixty percent of the people on earth live on rice as their main food. The Chinese, who have been eating rice for four thousand years, eat about a pound per day per person.² (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
Make the sticky rice first, this is best made the day before but can be made the morning of serving. Rinse 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice. Place in a medium-size saucepan. Add 2 cups cold water and salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook at gentle boil until water has cooked down to level of rice.
With a spoon (not a fork), stir the rice well. Cover and reduce to low. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in well-seasoned wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat. Pour in 2 lightly beaten eggs with pinch of kosher salt, swirl so eggs form a thin pancake (lift edges to allow uncooked egg to run to center).
As soon as egg has set, turn it out of the pan onto cutting board. (I use a paper plate to absorb some of the oil from the egg.)
Cool, cut eggs into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
Wipe out pan with paper towel and heat 2 tbsp peanut oil over high heat. Add 4 thinly sliced scallions, 1 large diced zucchini and ¼ cup minced carrots, stir fry 1 ½ minutes.
Add 8 oz diced mushrooms, 1 large minced garlic clove, pinch red chilie flakes and 1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger, stir fry 1 min more.
Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and cooked rice and stir fry 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup cooked meat (chicken, ham, pork, beef or omit meat to make vegetarian), and eggs.
Cook; stirring until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. I sometimes serve this as a main dish or as a side dish with sesame chicken.
Fried Rice
Yummy homemade fried rice made with a variety of vegetables. You can make with or without meat. A fresh alternative to take out.
Ingredients
White Rice:
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 2 cups cold water
- Salt
Fried Rice:
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp peanut oil
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten with pinch of kosher salt
- 4 scallions (white and green) thinly sliced
- ¼ cup minced carrot
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Pinch red chile flakes
- 1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups cooked long grain rice
- 1 cup cooked meat (pork, ham, beef or chicken), cut into ½ inch cubes
- ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted in a strainer at room temperature
Instructions
White Rice:
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Rinse uncooked rice. Place in a medium-size saucepan. Add 2 cups cold water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook at gentle boil until water has cooked down to level of rice. With a spoon (not a fork), stir the rice well. Cover and reduce to low. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
Fried Rice:
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Put mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and soak until re-hydrated, about 20 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, cut in quarters. Set aside.
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Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in well-seasoned wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat. Pour in eggs, swirl so eggs form a thin pancake (lift edges to allow uncooked egg to run to center). As soon as egg has set, turn it out of the pan onto cutting board. Cool, cut into 1 inch pieces.
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Wipe out pan with paper towel and heat remaining peanut oil over high heat. Add scallions and carrots, stir fry 1 ½ minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, chilie and ginger, stir fry 1 min more. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and rice and stir fry 2-3 minutes. Add meat, peas and eggs. Cook; stirring until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
I cook the rice the day before, following instructions in white rice recipe. I use fresh mushrooms instead of dried; I also add zucchini to the recipe (adding when carrots and scallions go in) instead of peas.