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I can boil it like a boss but I want it fried.
How do you do yours?
Boil it as per the accepted method of covering with a bit of water, bring it to the boil with a lid on then, when it stops releasing much steam (as most of the water has boiled/absorbed away), leave it for a while to continue to absorb the last of the water.
Leave to cool.
Fry it.
Boil it make sure it’s not soggy, drain it until it’s dry and ideally leave in the fridge over the night.
Heat some oil (veg) in your wok and the rice and fry. You can add what you like to it at this point too, peas, choppers spring onions. For the egg create a well in the middle and crack the egg into it, swirl a fork through as it cooks so it scrambles. Good soya sauce for flavour and a little bit of sesame oil.
Season of course and the magic ingredient, MSG.
I do it like Drac and spread it out on a tray to cool/dry out. But I lightly scramble the egg first in the oil, then remove it and add after any other meat/veg is stir fried and the rice is added.
I use Uncle Roger's Egg fried rice recipe, though I tend to add some shredded tofu , chilli crisp oil & some additional veg ( peas, brocolli etc ) to it
https://imhungryforthat.com/uncle-roger-fried-rice-recipe/
Haven’t you heard, old rice is deadly poison <ducks and runs away>
As above - proceed directly to Uncle Roger (which you should do in general as he's hilarious).
https://www.youtube.com/@mrnigelng/videos
Uncle Roger fried rice above is a proper meal in it's own right. If you want Chinese takeaway style side-dish then you want this;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-DnVfT_84w
Given the option - cook the rice a little less than you would if you were were eating boiled rice. Spread out on a flat tray and leave to cool. Preferably keep it overnight in the fridge and covered with clingfilm. Cold rice cooks much better. Don’t stir too much when cooking - the rice needs to fry.
When it comes to cooking. Add oil (I use groundnut), heat the wok until it is smoking and whatever you do - do not add a lot of rice - more rice in too small a wok is not good. Cook the other ingredients you want to add just before you cook the rice, remove and then add back to the wok when the rice is cooked.
I use egg in two ways - but not at the same time. 1) When the rice is cooked, add beaten eggs and coat the rice, or 2). Make a small omelette in the wok first, when cooked roll it tightly and then slice, adding to wok with the other ingredients.
You definitely need good soy sauce, light is stronger so you need less. I use a little oyster sauce too. I add garlic, chilli and ginger just after the egg but before I add any other ingredients. MSG (Don’t frown or scowl!) also works well - I buy mine from the Chinese supermarket. I add a little sesame oil at the end - its for flavouring, not for cooking!
Haven’t you heard, old rice is deadly poison <ducks and runs away>
Reheating boiled or steamed rice is fine, but it just needs to be heated thoroughly!
Also, who doesn’t love an Uncle Roger video!
You definitely need good soy sauce, light is stronger so you need less.
Is that a typo? I've never seen light soy sauce described as stronger than dark, and you'd normally used much less of dark than light. Everything else you say is spot on though - maybe with the exception of clingfilm, as I'd say you want to capitalise on the ability of a fridge to dry it out rather than capturing moisture.
Light is stronger in flavour, but adds less colour.
In this page, look in the Chinese brewed section.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_sauce
My approach is close enough to Drac not to bother highlighting the differences.
If you want youtube videos on crazy obsessive cooking and fried rice - you need:
(there are several parts building up to that!)
jamj1974Full Member
Haven’t you heard, old rice is deadly poison <ducks and runs away>
Reheating boiled or steamed rice is fine, but it just needs to be heated thoroughly!
Also, who doesn’t love an Uncle Roger video!
This is true, especially the episode where Gordon Ramsey decides to take grilled cheese to another level!
Reheating boiled or steamed rice is fine, but it just needs to be heated thoroughly!
Depends what you mean by thoroughly but generally, the toxin isn't broken down unless above 120 C for an hour or so - or REALLY hot for shorter times. You can kill the bacteria much more easily but if they've already dumped their toxin into the rice you may have a tough few hours ahead of you
lol
@Poly that’s just my version from trying many different ones and off the top of my head. Like a lot dishes I’ve cooked many times I actually have little idea what goes in, the method probably changes as much as the ingredients.
My approach tends to be: take left-over rice, fry it up with loads of egg and pepper + a pinch of salt until starting to get crispy, eat.
Very tasty, could probably be improved though 😋
I tend to add fish sauce to taste towards the end instead of soy (that's on the table to add if required)
Sorry about my first post – I had assumed the OP was just trying to fry uncooked rice (unsuccessfully), not that they wanted recipes. DOH!
But all of the above is good, light soy is what you need to use. I like to add a bit of Chinese 5 Spice towards the end too and I also like to add king prawns for a treat. Also a few beansprouts can be added toward the end for a satisfying crunch.
'Proper' rice cooker. Also some simple but cunning physics used in them rice cooker physics
Yesterday's rice is arguably more healthy too. But watch out.
Fried rice is made with leftover rice. Not with freshly cooked rice. Put leftover rice in the fridge and make it straight from cold. Really quick and easy meal to make
(you can cheat with using defrosted frozen mixed veg if you want to make a special)
Depends what you mean by thoroughly but generally, the toxin isn’t broken down unless above 120 C for an hour or so – or REALLY hot for shorter times. You can kill the bacteria much more easily but if they’ve already dumped their toxin into the rice you may have a tough few hours ahead of you
By thoroughly, I mean cooked using a smoking hot wok for at least 6 minutes. I’ve been eating fried rice like this for most of my life and never been unwell. Although, I would never reheat takeaway rice.
Cook your rice in chicken stock, veg stock if you don't eat meat, makes a huge difference, this is why fried rice tastes ace in Chinese restaurants, they also use both light and dark soy sauce in the rice.
I sweat onions and garlic in oil then add the rice, chicken stock and use the reduction method (lid on, heat off etc), as for the rest there are so many recommendations I won't add mine.
Really? Not once have I seen any Chinese recipes to say to cook in a stock.
Chinese restaurants do this all the time Drac, my ex of many years was Chinese, I picked this up from her, although for boiled rice they'd always just use a rice cooker.
By thoroughly, I mean cooked using a smoking hot wok for at least 6 minutes. I’ve been eating fried rice like this for most of my life and never been unwell. Although, I would never reheat takeaway rice
Still not sure I'd trust that unless you have measurable temperatures throughout the food (I mean, if it's ALL been at well over 150C, how long do you have to wait before eating it?) - HOWEVER, prevention is far better than destruction and keeping yr used rice in the fridge pretty much stops bacterial activity, hence reduces chance of toxins. It's stuff left at room temp for any significant time that causes the trouble. Same SHOULD go for takeaway rice, unless you're worried that they cook & then store it poorly
How far down this rabbit hole do you want to go?
Luckily YouTube has a very good series following Alex going pretty far, and then finding his way back.
The last video in the series applies the principles to a western kitchen and comes up with a good base recipe to make your own.
As much as I’d love to build my own wok burner, I’m happy with the results I’ve got from a deep-sided frying pan and a spatula. It looks like there is not one right way, but plenty of wrong ones!
Fried rice you say! Very easy. There is No one standard ingredients apart from rice, egg and salt.
Cooked rice - however you wish (British style, Asian or rice cooker whatever)
Leave it overnight or leave to cool down for few hours.
Ingredients (measurement entirely up to you): Cooked rice (as prepared above), shallots, garlics (optional), spring onions (optional), eggs and salt.
Heat oil - then shallow fried shallots, garlics then pour in the rice and cook until almost dry then add eggs and keep stirring until all rice are coated. Cook until rice is "non-sticky", add salt and finally garnish with spring onions. (note that some people prefer to cook the egg differently (scramble egg) and then add it to the rice later on - no fix style so long as it taste good). That's it really.
For added flavour if this is your thing, you can add bacon or prawn or whatever cooked meat you have left over.
If you wish to add soy sauce then add the light soy sauce (not the dark one coz it will make your fried rice dark in colour but no harm if you like the taste). You can also add MSG if that is your thing.
Also cook in a wok rather than a flat frying pan coz the rice will fall out all over the stove and you will have to clean them later. But if flat frying pan is all you have then use it.
Oh yes ... Don't use Olive oil.
Chinese restaurants do this all the time Drac, my ex of many years was Chinese, I picked this up from her, although for boiled rice they’d always just use a rice cooker.
Interesting. As I say I’ve never heard of this and I’ve followed Chinese recipes since Ken Hom appeared on our screens.
A scientist friend told me never to reheat rice for the reasons above - the toxins can’t be heated off. I have no reason to doubt her advice but YMMV.
A scientist friend told me never to reheat rice for the reasons above – the toxins can’t be heated off. I have no reason to doubt her advice but YMMV.
I always wonder the sort of toxins they are referring to coz reheating rice or recooked rice (fried rice) is almost the norm in most household in SE Asia or people who eat rice in other part of the world.
Ideally, all food should be cooked from scratch and never eat left over from previous day. All processed food should be avoided.
I always wonder the sort of toxins they are referring to coz reheating rice or recooked rice (fried rice) is almost the norm in most household in SE Asia or people who eat rice in other part of the world.
You can even buy rice to reheat in packets!
You can even buy rice to reheat in packets!
I have eaten them many times before coz I was lazy to cook. i.e. all those supermarket ready food. Just put in microwave and zap it. LOL! Not good for health but I am lazy ...
A scientist friend told me never to reheat rice for the reasons above – the toxins can’t be heated off.
Yeah it is but if you’ve stored it properly and cooked to high enough temperature then it’s not an issue. Turns out the claims of high toxic it can be are some what exaggerated.
Science says:
https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/home-food-fact-checker
"Turns out the claims of high toxic it can be are some what exaggerated."
Well not really, that link tells us about when rice becomes toxic not how toxic it becomes. If you do not follow that advice (and are unlucky and your rice had the spores in it) then it can make you very ill - hospital ill. But it won't kill you.
Science says it can be reheated if stored correctly.
drain it
Chinese people love Westerners doing this bit!
It's easier once you get the feel for how much water you need, then there's no need to drain. 1.2x water to rice by volume works well. 1 cup uncooked rice is about right for 2 people. Wash thoroughly! Add 1.2x water (so 1.2 cups). Heat high until boiling, then turn down low. Turn it off completely when you can't see any water left, but don't open the lid and leave it to self steam a bit longer until ready to eat.
LOL again at the death rice zombie myth.
I'be been eating reheated leftover takeaway fried rice regularly all my life. Sometimes reheated more than once as I do the tray full, eat half, put rest back in fridge (ok I don't do that all that often).
You've more chance of choking on it.
Science says the spores are widespread in many foods (and also eg soil) and basically cannot be destroyed reliably by cooking. Science also says the variety associated with rice is primarily associated with vomiting and the diarrheal type is distinct.
What science does not explain is why so many people seem to be fixated on it as something to worry about. I think you have to consider social factors to explain that.