Fried Rice   炒 飯

Fried rice is a hugely popular dish in Chinese restaurants. This is a versatile dish within households as you can add any ingredients you like to the rice. The secret to fluffy rice is to use boiled, overnight, previous day rice. You can either boil the rice the night before or have leftover boiled rice from the previous day dinner, once cooled store in the fridge for the following day dish.

You must be thinking why use overnight rice? It is because freshly made rice contains a lot of moisture which results in a soggy, mushy fried rice dish. Overnight or next day rice has a chance to dry out in the fridge for that perfect fried rice.

When you come to cook the rice it will be slightly hydrated from the natural vegetables juices, from the soy and also the sesame oil.  So do not be afraid to make your own fried rice once you have you will never order take out rice ever again.

Serves:  4
Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time: 11 minutes

Ingredients
360-380 grams overnight rice
200 grams frozen peas
100 grams carrots
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 and a half  tablespoons groundnut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 sprigs spring onion
3 eggs
3 dashes white pepper powder

Method

• Peel, cut carrot into small cubes and boil in hot water for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the peas and boil for 2 minutes, drain, set aside.

• Beat the eggs into a bowl, set aside. Wash, chop the spring onions and set aside.

• Heat a wok on high heat, swirl 1 tablespoon of oil into the wok.  Once smoking hot, add the beaten eggs and swirl round the wok. Quickly breaking it with fish slice and stir fry for 30 seconds.

• Add the remain tablespoon of oil, once heated then add the overnight rice, make sure the rice is spread flatly around the surface of the wok to allow the rice to cook quickly and evenly. Leave to cook for 1 ½ minute and stir fry the rice, mixing the bottom and surface layer rice to the top surface of the wok and again flatten it around the wok, allow to cook for a further minute.

• Scatter the carrots, peas and spring onions over the rice. Stir fry and toss for 10-15 seconds before adding soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry frequently and cook for 3 minutes. Add  salt and pepper. When the rice grains starts to jump from the wok then you know it is ready. Serve.

©WinsesWeeWok2013