EASY 20-Minute Fried Rice Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

How to make fried rice if you don't have day-old rice? ›

To get that perfect day-old rice without waiting 24 hours, the process is actually fairly simple. Just rinse and drain fresh, raw rice and sauté in oil. Add a little less water than you normally would to the pan, and bring to the boil before covering and simmering.

High Heat is Key: Cook the rice over high heat, as in the P.F. Chang's Chicken Fried Rice (Copycat Recipe). High heat allows for quick evaporation of excess moisture, keeping the rice grains separate and preventing sogginess.

But this ingredient makes such a difference in good fried rice, and a little goes a long way. So even if you're not into oysters, don't be scared of oyster sauce! Toasted sesame oil, on the other hand, is 100% non-negotiable. It is my favorite smelling ingredient in my kitchen, and tastes wonderful in fried rice.

Use equal amounts of rice and water. BOIL water. ADD rice, stir, cover & remove from heat. WAIT 5 minutes, or until the water is absorbed, then fluff.

To make instant rice—like Minute Rice—manufacturers take parboiled rice and “puff” it, which creates pockets in the rice that allow “water to easily soak in without additional boiling,” according to Armstrong. That's why you only need to boil your water and wait for the rice to soak it up when using instant rice.

Fried rice syndrome is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which is present in these types of starchy foods prior to cooking. Bacillus cereus is a heat-resistant bacteria, so even recooking foods that have not been appropriately refrigerated can result in food poisoning.

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Weighing down the rice packs the rice together more tightly as it sets in the fridge. This means you can cut neater pieces and they will crisp up better. It's also just generally really irritating when you get little loose bits of rice in the pan when you're frying up the rice cakes!

What gives Chinese fried rice its taste? ›

Another great ingredient used to finish fried rice is toasted sesame oil. It brings an incredibly fragrant, nutty flavor that further enhances the complexity of the dish. The smokiness is a great additive and substitute for the wok hei that comes from the powerful burners and woks of a Chinese restaurant.

Cooking bits of chopped vegetables, seasoning, soy sauce, and oil, seems easy enough. However, when making fried rice at home, there's one ingredient you may be overlooking: Sugar.

The fine, long grains of jasmine rice with its delicate flavour are perfect for fried rice. Precook the rice at least 30 minutes, but preferably one day, before making fried rice and keep it uncovered in the fridge.

- Freshly cooked rice is hot, steamy, very moist and a little sticky ? this will make your fried rice clumpy and soggy. - Day-old rice is dryer and will give your fried rice a good texture and will bring out the individual flavours of the other ingredients.

Spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray so it cools rapidly. Then, when cold, put into a container, cover and chill in the fridge. Keep the rice for no more than a day before reheating it – and then only reheat it once. Whichever reheating method you use, make sure the rice is piping hot before serving.