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Fried rice is the ultimate leftover food. Not only is it totally customizable with whatever additional protein and veggies you have in the fridge, but it’s crazy simple to make too. I know that everyone has a soft spot in their heart for their favorite type of fried rice, so this recipe is as classic as you can get, perfect for personalizing however you like. I may be biased, but this fried rice is truly unbeatable—after 6 iterations, it’s my perfect, best-ever recipe. Keep reading down below the recipe for all of my top tips on how to perfect this takeout classic.
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"Best I've ever made." - eddiemcbride461
Leftover rice works perfectly for fried rice, so if you have some hanging out in your fridge, use it here. But, if you don’t have any, never fear: I’ve found a 2-step technique to make freshly cooked rice absolutely perfect for fried rice. The first step of making any rice dish is to adequately clean your rice. Some people like to do this in the pot they’re going to cook their rice in, but I like to use a mesh strainer. Rinse the rice—moving around the grains frequently—until the water comes out clean. Once your rice is ready, you’re going to par-boil the rice for just a few minutes. This will help to jumpstart the cooking process, breaking down the outsides of the grains of rice.
Once you strain the rice, we’re ready to make an impromptu steamer with a pot and a strainer that fits inside of it. First, add some water to the bottom of the pot, then put the strainer filled with your rinsed rice in it. Next, you’re going to want to create some holes in the rice with chopsticks to allow steam to circulate.
After making your holes, cover the pot with tin foil; it doesn’t have to be totally snug, but it should be well-tented. Then, cover with the pot lid and let it steam. Steaming the rice is a gentler cooking process that keeps the grains pretty dry and adds less moisture to the rice, which is what we’re looking for.
After about 15 minutes, check on your rice: It should almost taste al-dente. What I mean by this is that it should be fully cooked through, but should taste drier than normal steamed rice. Once it’s ready, I like to spread my rice on a sheet pan. This is a bit of overkill, but it will help your rice to cool down more quickly (which means fried rice faster!).
Now that our rice is ready, let’s focus on bringing everything together. Barely beat the eggs together (if you prefer some whites in your egg) before adding to your wok. Once you add to the wok, move your eggs around quickly, pressing in with a spatula to make those perfect fried rice egg squiggles. Once they’re ready, take them out, and give your wok or skillet a quick wipe down. I recommend pre-cooking your eggs because if they sit in the fried rice for awhile, they will get overcooked.
Next, it’s time to add your oil. Don’t be shy here: This is fried rice after all, so add enough to coat all of the grains in the oil. Add in your ginger and garlic: This will help flavor the oil which will transfer to your entire dish. Then, add the green onions and cook until softened, flipping and stirring frequently to prevent any burning.
Add all of your rice, tossing and stirring it constantly (I mean it!). You should see the grains start to become individual, which is the tell-tale sign of a well-done fried rice. Once you see that the rice is separating, it’s time to add your seasonings and soy sauce.
Once your rice is perfectly seasoned and separated, it’s time to add in your eggs and peas. Toss everything together, and serve once everything is well combined. Finish with the green onion garnish, and get ready to dig into this takeout classic.
Full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
If you have any leftover fried rice, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Looking for leftover ideas? Incorporate this rice into a salad bowl, just like in our tomato fried rice salad.
long-grain rice (preferably jasmine), or about 2 1/2 c. leftover rice
peanut or vegetable oil, divided
large eggs, beaten to blend
cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
(1") piece ginger, peeled, grated or finely chopped
scallions, white, pale green, and dark green parts separated, thinly sliced
reduced-sodium soy sauce
granulated sugar
kosher salt
white pepper
MSG
frozen peas
unsalted butter, cut into pieces
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