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There’s something about crunchy rice that’s really satisfying. That’s why crunchy-bottomed rice dishes are such a crowd-pleaser the world over. Think about the tahdig on Persian rice, or the socarrat on paella. Fried rice is no exception. In order to learn how to make fried rice thats truly crave-able, theres one key trick you need to know: how to make sure those rice grains are a bit crispy.
It might not be obvious when digging into that pile of pea- and pork-studded goodness at your favorite Chinese restaurant, but the grains of rice in stir-fry should be both soft and ever so lightly toasted, so that they remain separate and distinct, not mushy and clumpy. And achieving that perfect balance requires paying close attention to details. Luckily, I wrote an entire book on the subject (Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up the World’s Favorite Grain), and let me tell you, I learned some things.
To help you go freestyle with your fried rice, I broke down the secrets to success into five easy rules.
Sauté Ingredients Separately
Fried rice is technically a stir-fry. In other words, it’s a collection of ingredients sautéed at really high heat to not just cook, but also sear. And there’s one trick to searing: don’t rush it. If you throw in all the ingredients at once because you want to get it over with, you’ll lower the temperature in the pan and cause them—and the rice—to essentially steam and turn bland and flabby. And thats the opposite of the lovely crispiness you crave.
So don’t crowd the pan. Instead, sauté various elements like the beaten egg, green vegetables, and aromatics in batches, transferring items to a plate or bowl as you go. Ingredients that take the same amount of time to cook can go together. There’s almost always onion and garlic, but if you’re adding, say, bok choy, cut the longer-cooking stems from the shorter-cooking leaves and sauté the stems separately. Give each ingredient the respect it deserves to bring out its best, then you can combine it all together at the end.
Let The Rice Toast
Ok, so you’ve sautéed your veggie and meat ingredients until theyre seared and slightly caramelized. Now it’s time to add the rice. Here’s where the most important technique comes in. As the rice warms up again in the heat of the pan, itll soften, and if you stir too much you’ll make it mushy. This is especially a problem if your stove doesn’t have blistering hot BTUs. Avoid this by tossing the rice rather than stirring—and whats more, dont toss the rice constantly. Instead, give the rice little frequent pauses to interact with the heat at the bottom of the pan. Even through a wooden spatula, you’ll be able to feel the rice go from hard and cold, to soft, to ever so slightly firm again as it stir-fries. The grains will feel distinct and not so delicate. This is how you know it’s gotten a little bit toasted and reached its higher purpose as perfect fried rice. Bonus points if you then press the rice into the bottom of the pan to let it develop a bit of a crispy crust before you turn it out of the pan.
The Crispiest Rice
FAQ
Can fried rice be crunchy?
What texture should fried rice be?
Why did my fried rice come out crunchy?
Is fried rice supposed to be soft?
Why is my fried rice hard & crunchy?
Yikes. If you’ve experienced the same issue — or if you simply want to prevent it — here’s what you should do the next time you try making homemade fried rice. According to the Redditors on the thread, the reason for hard and crunchy rice is typically due to how you cook the rice.
Is fried rice healthy?
Fried rice is often accompanied with sauces, vinegar, food colors, oil and monosodium glutamate. Thus, fried rice is rich in calorific value along with increased fat percentage. Moreover, it is considered as a fast-food which is believed to be one of the potent carcinogenic agent. So, fried rice should be avoided as a frequent meal and can be consumed only once or twice a month.
Why do you cook fried rice separately?
Cook the veggies and protein separate from the rice, so your rice has more room in the pan to get crispy (the veggies and protein will add too much moisture and will also make it hard for the rice to touch the bottom of the pan if the pan is too full. If you make this recipe, please let me know!
Can You Make your own fried rice?
You can also make your own fried rice at home with just a few ingredients. However, according to some people on Reddit who have tried to recreate their favorite Chinese dish in their own kitchens, they’ve run into one big problem. Their fried rice, rather than being fluffy and chewy, ends up being crunchy and hard. Yikes.