Fried Rice Help

ok so i made some fried rice for me and my girlfriend the other day, but had a problem, it was very sticky.

i realized when i was done i forgot the egg, would that have fixed it?

it was the first time i made it, and we both love fried rice so any help would be appreciated.

Explanation: 1st use 1 day old plain boiled rice...it has to be boiled and then left to fully steam and then dry out before you fry it OK!

2ndly a little bit of sesame oil and soy sauce go a VERY long way! Be sparing with both!

3rd and finally cook your eggs [or what ever you are adding to the fried rice] seperately and add them after they are cooked. Don't ever use anything frozen like pea's or prawns as they kill the all important stir fry heat. FRESH IS BEST [except of course for the rice...its gotta be a day old!]

Personal Disclosure: I had to cook for an old chinese lady who was very fickle with her food..especially her rice! I hope what she taught me can be of benifit to you! Thread St*rred!

P.S. A Wok is not a Wok unless its extremely HOT!

There are many different varieties of rice to choose from. A sticky rice used in Japanese cooking is almost useless for fried rice, a Basmati from India is workable, but just barely. And when I used Jasmine rice from Thailand it turned out really clumpy and crumbled when I tried to fry it.

Never use an instant or par-boiled rice, it's just wrong.......

The best so far that succeeded for me was long grain white rice.

1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups water
Tblsp butter
pinch of salt

Rinse rice in cold water and drain.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a pan that can be covered tightly.
Add salt and butter to water.
Add rice and stir once, bring back to full boil for 5 minutes.
Gently stir again, cover pot and turn to lowest heat for 20 minutes.
Don't peek at it, just remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Gently fluff the rice with a fork and it's ready to serve. Or as OmegaLogos pointed out, chill till the next day before using to fry. And it is a good idea to cook anything you want to add separately, then mix with the rice in the last minutes of frying.

I use a non-stick skillet with a little butter and it turns out great.

thanks both of you.

it all makes sense.

if anyone has extra to add please do.

Just like what everyone else said, use day old rice, it doesn't stick together anymore and I always break up the clumps before frying so all the rice cooks good. Again, cook everything seperately.. When it comes to the vegetables, some are good crunchy, others soft so do those seperately also. Cook the egg seperate from everything and then I always fry the meats seperate too.. I also find that sesame oil gives it a great distinctive flavor that you can't get with butter or a canola/veggi oil. And a VERY hot pan is great! Keep an eye on it though and constantly stir it or it will burn quickly, especially the rice. Don't cook shrimp very long either or it gets tough and chewy. I prefer to use the fragrant jasmine rice, other rices might work better but the jasmine just smells sooooo good while it's cooking, and I love it

Another key, aside from the day old rice, is I always make sure to rinse my rice well before I cook it. Bath it in cold water, and stir with your fingers, rinse and repeat until you get most of the starch off the rice. It's a simple trick to better your rice.

Ok this is Dr Conspires moment?
Firstly do not USE WHITE RICE FOR FRIED RICE OK
Use brown rice ....hey ....uuuh....yes brown rice.
Boil the rice until firm....drain and let settle
If you want egg fry it first and remove from your wok /pan once cooked.
Put it in the fridge.
Likewise ya want mushrooms and onions fry them then set them aside.
Cook your fresh or frozen veges until one minute from final readiness.
Then add your tuna from either a can or fresh into a wok add the garlic chilli, mix with the vegies ect add the previous set aside mushrooms and onions add soy sauce stir as you heat, finally after tasting the mix add the egg last, then at the very last add lettuce.
This is a beautiful fried rice that will leave you salvanating for more if done correctly. you can use ginger as well.
Its all about observation but the above gives you the basics , remenmber brown rice....you will thank Dr Conspire all you fried rice newbies.

reply to post by iamsupermanv2


Use Texmati long grain American Basmati rice, it doesn't stick together. Let it sit in the water about 15 minutes before you turn the heat on to bring it up to the boil. Once it boils, turn your stove down to the lowest setting and cover for fifteen to twenty minutes. I like to throw a small pat of butter in there once I take it off the heat.

2:1 water to rice ratio.

Peace



[edit on 29-4-2010 by Dr Love]

Making fried rice isn't hard. The secret is how u initially cook the rice. You can use no frills or store brand white rice as long as it is medium or long grain. Thats what I do, no need for expensive or fancy stuff. If you are cooking for you and your girlfriend you will maybe just need 1 to 1 1/2 cups of rice . Take a pot and cover the rice with water, take your pointer finger and measure the water, the water should be above the rice maybe a little over a 1/4 an inch or so. Too much water will cause the rice to come out too sticky. Then bring the rice to a boil under medium heat and then cover it, lower the flame to low. Watch the rice and see how it is cooking; it it starts to boil over open the lid a little bit but leave the lid on. Cook for about 20 minutes or so , maybe less, check it with a fork it should not be too mushy or hard, just in between. Most of the water shoud be evaportated. It is ok to turn off the rice and leave it on the stove covered, the last couple of minutes it will "cook itself" and the rest of the water will be absorbed by the rice. Also use ur nose, you will smell a ricey aroma when the rice is done. lol really. U can make fried rice with this rice recipe the same day and I have no problem or you can wait till the next day. (don't put the rice in the fridge just let it sit in the pot with the lid open a little overnight) . Then the next day before you make the fried rice take the rice and kind of break it up with your hand before you fry it. DOnt use jasmine rice for fried rice I dont like the flavor for that... If rice is hard to make for you its good to get a ricecooker, those are pretty foolproof. Disclosure: LOL my husband is Asian and eats rice 3x a days and he says I make rice better than he does or anyone else in his family. heheh good luck.

chopped green onion in fried rice is awesome. I NEVER cook fried rice without green onion.

I cheat, I use instant rice to make my fried rice. It turns out perfect every time.

Don't fry with rice new -made,it is better to use rice made the day before or hours ago,be sure that the rice is cold totally.Maybe you should put more oil in case of being sticky.Allium fistulosum,egg,ham,hot pepper,these are necessary,of course you can choose as you like.

Use Jasmine rice.

Be sure to rinse the starch off before cooking as was said in a previous response.

It does not matter if it is day old or just cooked as long as it was properly rinsed.

In most Asian households there is no such thing as day old rice.

It doesn't last that long!

Try it with a can of "Spam" cut up in small pieces and cooked with cut up bacon and popcorn shrimp.

Add the shrimp after so they aren't tough!

Add some diced green onion(including the green part!) and thawed(in the microwave) frozen peas and carrots.

DON'T use canned peas and carrots.

LIGHTLY scramble about three eggs and add to the mixture.

I have done it in the microwave in a safe bowl with a tab of butter and they come out very fluffy!

Go lightly on the soy sauce and don't forget to add either grated garlic(preferred) or a little garlic powder and don't forget black pepper.

A little grated ginger(preferred) or ginger powder is also a must!

Add all this together before adding the rice.

Use a wok or a big skillet and mix it all up well.

Having been married to a Filipina for 22 years I have watched being made,have made it myself, and ate tons of fried rice this way.

Her fried rice was considered the best and everyone always asked her what she did to make it so good.

And they were other Filipinos!

Follow my directions and you will see why.

reply to post by Oneolddude


Yea this has been close to what I've taken to doing.

I didn't notice so many have come back an responded, thanks everyone. I think I got my friend rice set though.

Yes, you need to use day old rice, known as "dirty rice".

I use jasmine exclusively, but for any long grain white rice the ratio is 1:1 with water. Use cold water, stir it in your pot, bring to a boil stirring occasionally at the start, until the bubbles leave holes in the rice, usually about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 15-20 minutes. finish by fluffing with a fork. Perfect every time.

just need to stir in a little virgin olive oil to the water before boiling rice and toasted sesame oil is always a key flavored oil to fry with if we were talking egg rolls-chinese five spice

I agree, rice should be cooked the day before.

In a Wok, i add Sesame oil, onions, peppers, sautee. I add a bit of ginger for flavor, add the meat or shrimp or both,quickly sautee that and dump it all in a bowl. I crack 2 eggs, beat them with a little salt, add a teaspoon more of peanut or sesame oil in the wok (just slightly beat eggs) pour them in and i let it in low heat turn into an omlett, flip, then i take a knife and cut it up. Add all your stuff from the bowl. Add rice. Keep stirring on low heat while doing that, i add light soy sauce.

incredible!!!!!

I agree, rice should be cooked the day before.

In a Wok, i add Sesame oil, onions, peppers, sautee. I add a bit of ginger for flavor, add the meat or shrimp or both,quickly sautee that and dump it all in a bowl. I crack 2 eggs, beat them with a little salt, add a teaspoon more of peanut or sesame oil in the wok (just slightly beat eggs) pour them in and i let it in low heat turn into an omlett, flip, then i take a knife and cut it up. Add all your stuff from the bowl. Add rice. Keep stirring on low heat while doing that, i add light soy sauce.

incredible!!!!!

Benihana Fried Rice


This is a pretty famous teppan style fried rice recipe that I think is tops:

Teppan cooking requires a large flat top griddle, a pancake griddle works perfect but a large pan or wok can be used.

The secret is taking 2 cups raw long grain rice and rinse it well until starch is out.
cook the rice 98% done and do not over cook the rice. you do not want a sticky mess.
Once the rice is finished scoop it out onto a plate and let it cool for 5 minutes uncovered.
place it into a sealed container and "refridgerate" it over night. Very important step that you must do!

Here are the ingredients:

2 cups of long grain white rice
1 head of well minced garlic
3/4 stick well softened butter
2 eggs
1 cup frozen peas (not canned)
1 cup small diced white onion
1 tbl spoon peanut oil
1/2+ cup soy sauce (prefer low sodium so you can add salt if needed later)
1 1/2 tbl spoon toasted sesame seed oil
2 tbl spoon toasted sesame seeds
diced green onion as garnish

mix the butter and minced garlic and set aside at room temp. heat grill to med/high.
in a separate saute pan, lightly saute the diced onion in a small bit of garlic butter then reserve for later.

in seperate saute pan toast up sesame seeds but do not burn them, just lightly brown and reserve for later.

pour and coat entire cooking surface of pan with peanut oil. pour in cold precooked white rice.
do not stir for 10 minutes. let it get a nice brown char going. Then stir and repeat. add bits of garlic butter throughout the process.

once the rice has gotten a nice light browning over 75% of it, add all over soy sauce. drizzel some sesame seed oil very lightly all over for flavor.

make a center opening in the rice on the pan about 3 or 4 inches wide. crack both the eggs into the open area. let it fry for 2 minutes and then stir the egg so the yoke is broken up a bit and cooked through. toss the egg into all the rice. add more soy to taste and garlic butter. add frozen peas. add onion and stir well the rice.

add more soy to taste if needed.
top each dish with diced green onion

top entire surface of rice with the toasted seeds, add as much as you want, more is better!

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This dish tastes great the next day too!

Everyone loves this recipe and asks for it and so I hope you do too

Originally posted by OmegaLogos
Explanation: 1st use 1 day old plain boiled rice...it has to be boiled and then left to fully steam and then dry out before you fry it OK!

2ndly a little bit of sesame oil and soy sauce go a VERY long way! Be sparing with both!

3rd and finally cook your eggs [or what ever you are adding to the fried rice] seperately and add them after they are cooked. Don't ever use anything frozen like pea's or prawns as they kill the all important stir fry heat. FRESH IS BEST [except of course for the rice...its gotta be a day old!]

Personal Disclosure: I had to cook for an old chinese lady who was very fickle with her food..especially her rice! I hope what she taught me can be of benifit to you! Thread St*rred!

P.S. A Wok is not a Wok unless its extremely HOT!

I do exactly what you do.. except on the first step I add a little soy to the rice to set overnight... turns a nice brown color and the rice has a great flavor. Then I basically do your step 2 and 3
I never can do rice in a stovetop wok on an electric stove... I am reduced to using a portable plug in now. YUCK! When we had a gas stove way back when, I had a high flame and a nearly flaming wok! Cant do fried rice correctly unless you have it super super hot.