Fried Rice Three Ways

Some of you reading this article assume fried rice is one of the four main food groups.
If you're one of the fortunate who were weaned from your mother's breast straight to fried rice, you can stop reading now.

I have a few readers out there who have never, ever made fried rice on their own. This post is for you. Fried rice is tasty, practical, affordable and can be whipped up in less than fifteen minutes. A single batch of fried rice can effectively clear your fridge of leftovers. Take that lower produce drawer, dice everything you find, add rice and you've got a meal.

All three recipes below are common variations that start with the same rice base, add accent flavors then finish with soy sauce to taste. Simple, eh? None of the three recipes below specify quantities. Use what you have on hand along with a dash of common sense. I make no claims to authenticity, but who needs authenticity if they taste good.

General tips:

• Use day-old rice. Fresh rice will work in a pinch, but tends to clump.
• Short grain white rice is standard, but I often use brown rice instead. That's probably blasphemous, but when you buy brown rice in 25lb. sacks, you tend to make a lot of brown fried rice.
• A non-stick skillet isn't required, but will bring you happiness. Bigger is better. Curved sides are nice.
• Use just enough oil or butter in the pan to keep things from sticking. Too much and your rice will end oily. Have you noticed that teppanyaki places use a pad of butter for their fried rice? That's because it tastes better. The recipes below allow for either butter or oil.
• Stir fry any meats first. When you add the rice, stir frequently to separate the grains. Add any vegetables just long enough to cook them, then add soy sauce, green onion and/or cilantro right before removing from the heat.
• There isn't a rule of thumb for knowing when the rice is done. Look for most of the excess moisture to cook off, and for some of the grains to be a little crispy. You'll get a feel for it.
• Cook everything over medium heat. Too hot and the rice will scorch and stick. Ask me how I know this.
• Finish with a drizzle of soy sauce (shoyu) and salt/pepper to taste.

Kimchee Fried Rice

• ground beef or pork (not more than a 1/2 cup or so)
• rice
• a generous amount of kimchee - this defines the variation, so be bold
• sesame oil
• sliced green onions

Brown meat in skillet, then add rice. Stir frequently until rice is done. Add the kimchee and continue cooking until the kimchee is hot. Drizzle with sesame oil, and green onions and stir. Finally, season with shoyu, salt and pepper. Kimchee fried rice, known as kimchi bokumbop in Korean, is a common fixture in Hawaiian diners.

Lop Cheong Fried Rice

• lop cheong (Chinese sausage), cubed
• rice
• sliced green onions
• lots of fresh chopped cilantro

Skip adding oil to the pan for this variation; the lop cheong has enough. Saute the sausage for a few minutes, then add the rice. Stir frequently until the rice is done, then add the green onions and cilantro. Season with shoyu, salt and pepper. The sweetness of the sausage plays well with the fresh cilantro.

Fried Rice with Veggies and Egg

• minced garlic
• rice
• green peas (frozen is okay)
• yellow corn (frozen is okay)
• carrots, diced
• egg, scrambled with a drizzle of sesame oil and a few drops shoyu
• sliced green onions

  LIghtly brown the garlic in a little oil then add the rice and cook until the rice is nearly done. Add the vegetables and stir frequently until they are cooked by not yet mushy. Push the rice mixture to the sides of the pan, making an opening in the middle. Add a few drops of oil then pour the scrambled egg into the well and cook until it just begins to solidify. Toss the egg in with the rice and add the green onions. Season with shoyu, salt and pepper.

  Whichever version you make, or something else entirely, the key is to make the most of whatever is laying around in your kitchen and improvise!