Revision 4

See here for part 3

Well it’s been a couple of weeks since my fried rice last post, and that’s because I decided only to post again when I’d achieved my goal. This should probably be called revision 11 or 12! But I couldn’t be arsed with all the writing and I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than read about experiments that missed the mark.

What I’ve Learned

The first thing to mention is there’s no one true egg fried rice recipe! Different takeaways produce different results. Some are (or seem to be) literally just rice, egg, MSG and a bit of oil. Others have peas, white onion, green onion, garlic, ginger etc. As I tend to favour simplicity over complexity, I’ve only added peas, white onion and green onion.

The Vital Ingredients

Egg fried rice ingredients

To get the best results, you will need:

  • Superior / premium dark soy sauce
  • MSG
  • Long grain rice
  • Jasmine rice
  • Sunflower oil
  • Sesame oil
  • One egg
  • White pepper

Optional Ingredients

As I wrote in an earlier post, I’d bought some oyster sauce and figured I might as well use it for my recipe. I also (eventually) managed to find some chicken stock powder in an asian supermarket. Both of these ingredients definitely add something so I’d advise you to get some yourself.

Wait! No Salt???

If you add salt to your rice as it’s cooking, I’ve found you don’t need it.

Egg Fried Rice Recipe (Revision 4)

Serves one

1. Whisk up a large egg, with a pinch of black pepper and white pepper
2. Chop up a bit of spring onion and white onion if desired (I do)
3. Heat wok on maximum temperature until starts to smoke
4. Add about a tbsp of sunflower oil and wait for it to smoke
5. Add the egg, and let cook. Should take about 30 seconds
6. Add some frozen peas that you took out of freezer about 15 minutes before along with the onion
7. Cook for about another 30 seconds, stirring continuously
8. Add the refridgerated rice (1/3 cup jasmine, 2/3 cup long grain) and about a tsp of sesame oil. Let cook for another minute or two
9. Add 1 tsp dark soy / 1 tsp oyster sauce mixture, a pinch of chicken stock powder and cook for about 2 minutes
10. Add a pinch of MSG, trying to distribute evenly.
11. Cook for about another minute or two, stirring frequently. Taste and add another pinch of MSG if needed
12. When the rice is bouncing around, flying out of the wok, it’s ready!

Notes and Tips

  • Cooking 2/3 cup long grain, 1/3 cup jasmine will yield two portions.
  • If you are cooking with a stainless steel wok, It’s imperative that you’ve properly seasoned it. You don’t want anything sticking with a fried rice
  • If you’re getting rice, peas other stuff flying out of your wok excessively, feel free to turn down the temperature a bit
  • If you’re not using oyster sauce, use 2 tsp’s of superior dark soy.
  • How much oil you add before the egg will determine how much it “puffs up”. I find about a tbsp is optimal
  • Be very sparing with the MSG. If you add too much you can balance it out with a bit of sugar. But seriously, just add a pinch at a time. That’ll give you the subtle, but unmistakeable takeaway / takeout flavour

Credits

I found the following Youtube videos very helpful for tips:

Ziangs: How to make REAL Takeaway Egg Fried Rice

Chinese Takeout Fried Rice Secrets Revealed

Conclusion

This recipe can go toe-to-toe with any Chinese takeaway, and I now prefer it to a bought one. Next on my hit list is beef fried rice. Stay tuned…