TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST FRIED RICE:

Ok, let’s get right to it. Here are the important things I have learned over the
years about how to make the best fried rice.

1) Use cold rice: You’ve gotta plan ahead and use thoroughly-chilled cooked rice.
A fresh batch of warm (or even lukewarm) rice will not fry well when it hits the
hot pan, and will result in soggy and sticky clumps — no good. So leftover
refrigerated rice is ideal! Or, if you are in a hurry (or have an impulse craving
for fried rice, which I completely understand 😉), just cook up a fresh batch of
rice. Then spread it out on a baking sheet or another large flat pan, drape the
rice with a layer of plastic wrap, then pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes (or in
the freezer for 10-15 minutes) until it is thoroughly chilled (not frozen).

2) Use butter: Yes, butter. I have made many a batch of fried rice using various
oils, and I’m now convinced there’s a reason why Japanese steak houses use that big
ol’ slab of butter when they’re making fried rice. It just tastes so much better,
and also makes everything brown up perfectly. (Although don’t be scared — we only
use 3 tablespoons for a very large batch of rice!)

3) Use veggies: This is one of my big pet peeves with lame take-out fried rice —
not enough veggies! In addition to adding some nice spots of color, veggies go a
long way in adding some flavor and freshness to fried rice. Our local Chinese
restaurant always added both white and green onions, too, which I included in this
recipe. But feel free to modernize this recipe with some other delicious stir-
fried veggies as well!

4) Use toasted sesame oil and oyster sauce: If you do not eat seafood, you can
leave out the oyster sauce and your fried rice will still be great. 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. (Also note that
sesame oil is meant as a finishing oil, not a cooking oil, so remove the pan from
the heat and then stir it in.)

5) Use high heat: This will help fry and brown the rice and veggies well, and will
also help prevent the rice from steaming in the pan and sticking together too much.

6) Don’t be afraid to add in some extra soy sauce at the end: I know that everyone
has different sensitivities to salt, and different brands of soy sauce also contain
pretty dramatically different levels of sodium. So I went a little light on soy
sauce in the recipe below. But please add more at the end if this tastes good to
you. I almost always stir an extra drizzle into my portion and love it.

Homemade Fried Rice Recipe

HOMEMADE FRIED RICE INGREDIENTS:

Alright, so let’s talk ingredients. To make this fried rice recipe, you will need
(affiliate links included):

Cooked, chilled rice: Any kind of white or brown rice will do. Just be sure that
it is cooked (I always cook mine in this rice cooker, which works like a charm) and
thoroughly chilled (in a sealed container in the refrigerator) before adding it to
your hot skillet. Again, freshly-cooked rice will not work well in this recipe.
Eggs: Which add great flavor, texture and protein.
Carrots, onions, green onions and peas: This is the base mix of veggies that I
always use for fried rice, but feel free to add in other stir-fry veggies you love
(see ideas below).
Garlic: Freshly-minced.
Soy sauce: I created this recipe using low-sodium soy sauce. So add less if you’re
using traditional soy sauce.
Oyster sauce: This is a major flavor booster in fried rice and (don’t worry)
doesn’t taste like oysters. You can find it in the Asian section of grocery
stores, or order it on Amazon.
Toasted sesame oil: The finishing touch in this recipe, which is a must. You can
also find it in the Asian section of grocery stores, or order it on Amazon.
Butter: My favorite way to stir fry rice.
How To Make Fried Rice | Sauté onions, carrots and peas

How To Make Fried Rice | Be sure to start with cold rice

How To Make Stir Fried Rice

HOW TO MAKE FRIED RICE:
To make this homemade fried rice recipe, simply:

Scramble your eggs: Using a small pat of butter, scramble some eggs in a large
sauté pan, breaking them into small pieces as you go. Then transfer the eggs to a
separate plate, and set aside.
Sauté your veggies and garlic: Return your sauté pan to the heat, and sauté the
onions, carrots, peas and garlic until soft and cooked through.
Stir fry rice: Then turn the burner to high heat. Scooch the veggies over to one
side of the pan, melt the remaining butter in the other half, and add the chilled
rice, soy sauce, and oyster sauce (if using). Then stir to combine with the
veggies and continue sautéing the rice, stirring every 15-20 seconds or so for 3
minutes, or until you notice the rice and veggies starting to brown slightly.
Remove pan from heat. And stir in your green onions, sesame oil, and scrambled
eggs.
Taste and season. Give the rice a taste, and season with salt and pepper, plus any
extra soy sauce or sesame oil if needed.
Serve! Then dish it up and serve nice and warm!