Chinese egg fried rice (Yang Chow Fried Rice or Young Chow Fried Rice) in the right way with all tips you should know for a perfect homemade stir fried rice.
Fired rice (炒饭) and chow mein (炒面) possibly are the two most popular types of dishes based on staple foods of China—rice and noodles. Home-style fried rice can be as humble as basic egg fried rice or as luxury as this Yangzhou fried rice, a star throughout the country. The best tool for perfect fried rice is a wok, in which you can quickly move all the grains. Along with the movement, the grains are well separated while all the other ingredients and seasonings are well mixed.
Honestly, Chinese people have a clinging attitude about their food, especially the food from the hometowns. Basically rice is almost all-purpose for vegetables and meats. So you can add whatever in your kitchen to a bowl of leftover rice and make yourself a happy breakfast. But people in Jiangshu province insist that a real Yangzhou fried rice should at least includes egg, carrot, green peas, Chinese ham, shrimp and green onion. Those ingredients not only bring different tastes and textures, but more importantly different colors. The colorful fried rice is the most popular choice for children meal for lots of restaurants.
Ingredients
- 6 cups leftover white rice (note 1)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup diced Chinese ham (or you can use char siu )
- 8-10 shelled shrimp, deveined
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- Pinch of salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
Slightly separate the grains of rice via slightly pressing the rice by a rice scoop. This step is optional but highly recommended for beginners. If I plan to make stir fried rice next day, usually I cook the rice on stove with a claypot or cast iron pot other than a regular rice cooker. You can know more about how to make rice without a rice cooker.
Heat up around 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in wok and fry green beans and diced carrots until softened.
Heat up 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok or a nonstick skillet (Note 2) and fry shrimp until slightly seared. Transfer out.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and pour in beaten egg and the fried rice. Give a quick stir so the egg and rice can be mixed well quickly.
Add green beans, carrots, ham and shrimp, light soy sauce, sprinkle pinch of salt and white pepper. Give everything a big stir-fry and mix well. Then add green onion and fry for another 30 seconds.
Serve warm.
staple food
Chinese
Fried Rice
-
6
cups
leftover white rice
, note 1 -
2
large eggs
, beaten -
2
tbsp.
vegetable oil -
1/4
cup
diced Chinese ham
, or you can use char siu -
8-10
shelled shrimp
, deveined -
1/2
cup
green peas -
1/2
cup
diced carrot -
Pinch
of salt to taste -
1/4
tsp.
ground white pepper -
1
tbsp.
light soy sauce -
2
green onions
, finely chopped
-
Slightly separate the grains of rice via slightly pressing the rice by a rice scoop. This step is optional but highly recommended for beginners.
-
Heat up around 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in wok and fry green beans and diced carrots until softened.
-
Heat up 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok or a nonstick skillet (Note 2) and fry shrimp until slightly seared. Transfer out.
-
Play rice in wok and dig a small hole in center, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and pour in beaten egg . Give a quick stir so the egg and rice can be mixed well quickly.
-
Add green beans, carrots, ham and shrimp, light soy sauce, sprinkle pinch of salt and white pepper. Give everything a big stir-fry and mix well. Then add green onion and fry for another 30 seconds.
Note 1: if you plan to make fried rice next day, you can slightly reduce the water when steaming the rice. So the grains are harder and better for fried rice. Soft rice is not a good option.
Note 2: You can use both wok and skillet for this recipe. If you do not have a old wok, a nonstick skillet is a better tool for a new wok.
Calories from Fat 108
