You would be hard-pressed to find a Chinese household that doesn’t enjoy a good bowl of fried rice. Growing up, whenever I saw a large bowl of cooked rice in the kitchen, I would cross my fingers and wait with eager anticipation to see if it was fried rice night. The flavor of rice mixed with eggs, vegetables, and a thin layer of soy sauce was something that brought comfort to my belly.
It probably comes as no surprise that I cook fried rice very frequently. Not only do I find this dish comforting, but it is also darn easy to make. All you really need is rice, eggs, vegetables, and soy sauce. Once you get into the rhythm of this basic egg fried rice recipe, play around with it! Substitute rice for quinoa, add other vegetables or protein—do whatever suits your taste.
Texture: The addition of beaten eggs creates a light and fluffy texture in the fried rice. As the eggs cook, they coat the rice grains, vegetables, and protein, providing a creamy and cohesive texture to the entire dish.
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COOKING NOTES FOR EGG FRIED RICE
Fried rice is usually a dish that you make to repurpose the leftover cooked rice from the day before. You want to avoid freshly cooked rice because it is still moist and steamy, which may yield fried rice with a mushy texture. (Notice in the photo below how you can see the individual grains of rice instead of a mushy mass of rice.) However, if you forget about cooking rice the day before, here is a little trick that I use. Spread a layer of freshly cooked rice onto large baking sheets and let the rice air out for 1 to 2 hours—the longer the better. The grains of rice will dry out during this process.
For this recipe, I experimented with using packaged pre-cooked rice, which is what you see in the photos. These packages usually contain 2 cups of cooked rice, so you’ll need 2 packages for the recipe. The packaged rice is fine, especially if you are too busy during the week to cook rice. However, it is definitely more expensive than buying rice and cooking it yourself (I sound like a mother here). I also found a slight smell when I opened the packages (probably from whatever preservatives the manufacturer used), though not enough to make me throw the rice straight to the trash. Ultimately, I recommend cooking the rice yourself, but hey, I understand if you don’t have time for that.
HOW TO COOK PERFECT JASMINE RICE
I have a complete guide on how to cook jasmine rice three ways: stovetop, slow cooker & Instant Pot.
Fried Rice Without What?!
FAQ
Does fried rice always have egg in it?
Should I crack an egg into my rice?
Do you put eggs or rice first in fried rice?
What makes egg fried rice so good?
The only thing almost everyone who loves egg fried rice will agree on is that it has to have a harmonious balance of flavors. It has to have plenty of seasoning. And it’s got to have crispness, fluffy rice, silky eggs, and that wonderful smoky, slightly charred flavor that you can only get from stir-frying food in a hot wok. Mouth watering yet?
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.
How to make egg fried rice?
Return the eggs and add remaining green onion, soy sauce, and salt to the rice. Sprinkle 1-2 pinches of MSG and sesame oil if you are using. Give everything a good stir to evenly distribute the seasonings. Taste to see if you need more salt. Sprinkle with pepper and give a good toss. Enjoy egg fried rice while hot.
Can you eat fried eggs with rice?
Try my ‘Gyeranbap’— fried eggs with rice. It’s perfect for breakfast or a speedy meal. Spam fried rice is also great leftover rice recipe with egg. When making fried rice, when to add the eggs is up to you. Add the beaten eggs before the rice if you want the egg to mix all through the rice.