How to Make Fried Rice – with 9 Proven Pro Tips – Have You Been Doing It Wrong?

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Introduction

Are you tired of making bland and mushy fried rice? If you’re wondering how to make perfect fried rice every time, you’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’ll show you step-by-step on how to make fried rice with delicious flavor and texture. Whether you’re using leftover rice or starting from scratch, these tips and techniques will help you create a satisfying meal that’s packed with flavor. So let’s get started on mastering the art of how to make fried rice!

Fried rice is a dish that is enjoyed all around the world. It is a popular dish in many cultures, from Chinese to Thai to Korean cuisine. It’s a simple yet delicious meal that’s perfect for using up leftover rice and veggies.

However, making the perfect fried rice can be tricky and many people struggle with getting it just right. The rice can turn out mushy or clumpy, and the flavors can be bland or overpowering. If you’ve been doing it wrong, don’t worry, we are here to help!

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make delicious fried rice every time, using a few key techniques and tips, packed with flavor and texture.

For this blog post, I’m making a simple shrimp fried rice.

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The Basics on How to Make Fried Rice

Before you start cooking, it’s important to gather all the ingredients you have and need. When preparing your ingredients, it’s best to dice them up to uniform bite pieces so it cooks quick and evenly, and fits more on your fork or spoon.

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Here’s what you’ll need to make the perfect homemade fried rice:

• Cooked White Rice (preferably leftover and chilled)
• Cooking Oil (avocado, vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
• Eggs (whisk with a splash of milk or cream)
• Light Soy Sauce (mix with a little bit of dark soy sauce if you like it with darker color)
• Oyster Sauce
• Vegetables (carrots, peas, onions, garlic, etc.)
• Protein (shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, etc.)

NOTE: Best rice to use is long grain (like jasmine rice) since they are fragrant and less sticky. Medium grain rice can be use as well but the texture will be a little different than what you are used to in chinese takeout restaurants.

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Pro Tips 1: Leftover rice is not required, you just need to make sure cooked rice is not steaming hot.

Most people will tell you that you must have leftover rice to make fried rice. That’s not entirely true. Although fried rice dishes are traditionally made because we wanted to used up all the leftover in the fridge, it is not a requirement.

You should rinse raw rice grain thoroughly and cook it according to the package instructions. Once cooked, spread it out on a baking sheet and let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour (or overnight, if possible). This will help to dry out the rice and prevent it from getting mushy. You could cook the rice a few hours before making fried rice.

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Pro Tip 2: Crumbled cooked rice with wet hand.

If your rice was in the fridge overnight, it would be in a solid block. Put them into a big bowl, wet your hands, then crumble the blocks into individual rice grains.

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Pro Tip 3: Coat each rice grain with egg mixture.

Whisk one or two eggs in a bowl (depends on how much rice you have), and mix it into the rice before it’s cooked. Be sure to coat all the rice grains evenly. This is the most important trick to making fried rice that’s especially beginner friendly. Doing this step will ensure that your rice will not stick to the wok or pan and your fried rice will not clump together after it’s cooked.

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Protein

Scramble Eggs: The easiest protein is scramble eggs.

Meat: Any sliced or ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey) you have will work great.

Seafood: Shrimp is one of the best proteins. It is easy to thaw out (just need 5 minutes of running under cold water) and prepare.

Prepared Meat: If you have no time to do anything else, you could also open a can of Spam luncheon meat, cut up a few hot dogs or sausages, or Chinese sausages.

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Pro Tip 4: For fluffy scrambled eggs, mix in a splash of milk or cream when whisking it.

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Pro Tip 5: For shrimps to achieve the snappy and crunchy texture that’s like the restaurants, run shrimp under cold tap water for 10 minutes with the bowl tilted, so the tap water goes into one side of the bowl and drains out on the other side. (You could use a chopstick underneath the bowl on the side where the water is coming down to propped up the bowl.)

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Vegetables

Frozen Vegetables: Easiest choice since it’s already in small size, no chopping or thawing time, so you just pour it into the pan to cook.

Fresh Vegetables: Cut into small pieces so it could be cooked quickly.

Note: If using any vegetables (especially fresh ones) with high water content, like cucumber, mushrooms, etc., be sure to cook them until all the water content is gone.

Pro Tip 6: Use bagged pre-washed salad green as shortcut and just put in a handful at the end to wilt it.

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The Cooking Process

1. Heat up your wok or pan over high heat.
2. Once there’s visible smoke from the wok, add the cooking oil and swirl it around to coat the pan.
3. When the oil is hot, cook your protein(s) and vegetables individually and stir-fry them until they’re cooked through.
4. Add the chilled rice coated with egg mixture to the work on high heat and use a spatula to break up any clumps if they still exist. Stir-fry the rice for a few minutes, then add a splash of soy sauce and/or oyster sauce and continue to stir-fry until the rice is evenly coated.
5. Add frozen vegetables if you are using it and mix in with the cooked rice.
6. Taste the rice to make sure it’s to your liking. Then add all other ingredients back into the wok. Mix well.

Note: If using frozen vegetables, then it doesn’t need to be cooked before the rice, it’ll only need to be folded into the hot rice towards the end of the cooking process.

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Pro Tip 7: Cook with high heat when it comes to fried rice, it will prevent the rice from sticking.

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For the shrimp fried rice I’m making, the order of cooking for all the ingredients is as follows:

1. Scrambled eggs (it’s important that scrambled eggs are cooked with a completely clean wok, that’s the reason why it needs to go first.)
2. Shrimp
3. Frozen veggies (although if need be, we could skip this step and pour frozen veggies directly into the fried rice at the end, but I feel like something extra!)
4. Fried rice

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Pro Tip 8: Splash the soy sauce along the side of the hot wok and let it drip onto the rice from the outer parameter. The heat of the pan will toast the soy sauce a little bit and add more umami flavor.

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Pro Tip 9: Add soy sauce in stages. Since soy sauce is liquidy, you do not want to add too much all at once and drown your rice.

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Tips for Perfect Fried Rice

• Use cold rice: As mentioned before, using leftover and chilled rice will give you the best texture. Be sure the rice is not steaming hot since that creates too much moisture and the rice grains will stick together.
• Stir-fry over high heat: This will help to cook the rice and vegetables quickly and prevent them from getting soggy.
• Add sauce sparingly: You don’t want your fried rice to be too saucy, as it can make the rice too wet and heavy. Add soy sauce sparingly and taste as you go.
• Mix the ingredients thoroughly: Make sure to mix the rice, vegetables, and protein well so that the flavors are evenly distributed.
• Let the rice sit: After stir-frying, let the fried rice sit for a few minutes to develop a crispy crust on the bottom.

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Variations of Fried Rice

Fried rice is a versatile dish that can be customized to your taste. Here are some popular variations:

• Vegetarian fried rice: Omit the protein and add extra vegetables, such as broccoli, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
• Shrimp fried rice: Use shrimp as the protein and add diced onions, garlic, and frozen peas.
• Chicken fried rice: Use diced chicken breast as the protein and add carrots, celery, and green onions.
• Egg fried rice: Add scrambled eggs to the mix for extra protein and flavor.
• Spicy fried rice: Add chili paste or diced jalapenos for a spicy kick.
• Pork fried rice: Use diced pork loin as the protein and add garlic, ginger, and green beans.
• Beef fried rice: Use thinly sliced beef sirloin as the protein and add sliced mushrooms and bell peppers.

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Overcrowding the pan

If you add too many ingredients to the pan, they won’t cook evenly. Make sure to stir-fry in batches if necessary.

Not using enough oil

Fried rice needs plenty of oil to prevent it from sticking to the pan and to give it a crispy texture.

Burning the rice

Keep an eye on the rice as it cooks and stir it frequently to prevent it from burning.

Overcooking the vegetables and protein

Chop your vegetables and protein into small pieces to ensure they cook quickly and evenly.

Using too much sauce

Fried rice should be lightly seasoned with soy sauce. Using too much can make the dish too salty and overpowering.

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Equipment Suggestions

Wok is the best choice for fried rice since it’s roomy enough to move all the ingredients around.

This is the carbon steel wok I use and recommended. It comes with a bamboo lid and metal wok spatula. You could check the price and review here on Amazon.

Here is another easy recipes that would be great cooking in a wok: Minced Pork with Soft Tofu.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, making perfect fried rice is all about technique. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to make delicious fried rice that’s packed with flavor and texture. Remember to use cold rice, stir-fry over high heat, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. With a little practice, you’ll be able to make fried rice like a pro and create this super easy dish in no time and it’ll taste sooo good!

Fried rice is a delicious and versatile meal that can be enjoyed by anyone. With a few simple techniques and tips, you can make perfect fried rice every time. Remember to use cold rice, stir-fry over high heat, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Try out different variations of fried rice and experiment with different ingredients and seasonings. With practice, you’ll be able to make fried rice that’s packed with flavor and texture.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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