The Basics: How to Make Veggie Fried Rice

Published on Tuesday, September 30, 2008, by CHOW Food Team / Edit Post

The Basics: How to Make Veggie Fried Rice

Using leftovers from Chinese takeout

From the store to the kitchen to the table: We outline the steps that get you from something raw to something cooked using simple ingredients, free of measurements and complicated techniques. A method that you can have in your back pocket and whip out whenever you like. We call it recipe-free cooking.

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Step 1 >>

You'll need:

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  • a fork
  • a bowl
  • a vegetable peeler
  • a large frying pan
  • a spoon
  • two eggs
  • three scallions
  • a knob of ginger
  • vegetable oil
  • two takeout containers of day-old steamed rice
  • sesame oil
  • soy sauce
  • a handful of frozen and thawed green peas
  • a handful of bean sprouts

Illustrations by Bill Russell

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POST A COMMENT |11 Comments

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  • I absolutely love this site..I have learned so much and am going to go and fry my overcooked steamed rice right now...thank you all so much and whoever came up with this great site...I love it..I also write for a local newspaper column here in my hometown and going to recommend everybody visit this place...

  • Oh, and IMO, nothing finishes off fried rice better than a sprinkling of deep fried shallots on top. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

  • I'd just like to point out that (I believe as said by David Thompson), fish sauce is generally not used in Thai fried rice.

    I make my Thai fried rice with Thai soy sauce, and it's fantastic.

  • mwliechty, I laughed about this but empathize with Chow. I teach a "no-recipe" technique using a roadmap analogy to illustrate the cooking process. People love it and find it very liberating.

    Stir fried rice is the most popular dish I get asked about. You can use most anything you like. Just cook veg and meat separately because they don't cook at the same rate. Definitely use cold rice. I...+READ

    mwliechty, I laughed about this but empathize with Chow. I teach a "no-recipe" technique using a roadmap analogy to illustrate the cooking process. People love it and find it very liberating.

    Stir fried rice is the most popular dish I get asked about. You can use most anything you like. Just cook veg and meat separately because they don't cook at the same rate. Definitely use cold rice. I prefer cooking egg separately.

    I will be posting on my site early Nov., a delicious, simple Pineapple stir fried rice video with some exotic variations and "recipe". I'll keep you posted.-COLLAPSE

  • I think I'm coming to breakfast at melsands' house!
    I also add a little hoisin, leftover broccoli if I have it, and a little bit of the leftover food from last night's Chinese takeout.
    If you eat meat, try Chinese sausage for a rich Middle Kingdom flavor.

  • I know it violates the "veggie" part, but I start with chinese pork or bacon.... And I beat the egg with sesame oil and cook it separately, and add whatever veggies seem appropriate- never tomatoes, though.

  • Something that I like to use for seasoning instead of salt or soy sauce is fish sauce.

  • I prefer Thai-style fried rice. Same concept - but I use both ginger and garlic (lots!), minced and fried for 15-20 seconds over high heat in a wok. Then I add a dollop of thai red curry paste. I let that fry for about 30 seconds and then throw in meat or chopped veggies - whatever is on hand, I like cabbage, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, sprouts... and pork or chicken usually. Then I add the cold...+READ

    I prefer Thai-style fried rice. Same concept - but I use both ginger and garlic (lots!), minced and fried for 15-20 seconds over high heat in a wok. Then I add a dollop of thai red curry paste. I let that fry for about 30 seconds and then throw in meat or chopped veggies - whatever is on hand, I like cabbage, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, sprouts... and pork or chicken usually. Then I add the cold rice and spread it out all over the wok and press down to get each little guy fried up. After a few minutes I add a few tablespoons of fish sauce and a handful of scallions and let it go for another 30 seconds. Best served with a sprinkle of cilantro and lime wedges. I also put Sriracha on top for extra kick. Yum!
    (Got this from a recipe in Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet. It's infinitely adaptable and easy to make.)-COLLAPSE

  • interesting eefg, there seem to be two schools of thoughts on the egg in fried rice. i once saw a clip of a highly regarded japanese chef preparing fried rice. he poured the scrambled egg over the top of the rice and mixed it in. the translator said that the concept was to lightly coat each grain of rice with egg. chinese preparations tend to keep the egg separate, at least from what i have seen....+READ

    interesting eefg, there seem to be two schools of thoughts on the egg in fried rice. i once saw a clip of a highly regarded japanese chef preparing fried rice. he poured the scrambled egg over the top of the rice and mixed it in. the translator said that the concept was to lightly coat each grain of rice with egg. chinese preparations tend to keep the egg separate, at least from what i have seen. when i do it, i make a well in the middle of the rice, then scramble the egg on the exposed pan. it cooks quickly enough that it doesnt migrage much into the rest of the ingredients... well, at least it didn't after the first couple of tries.-COLLAPSE

  • Hmm, to me, this isn't going to work.

    Fried rice's main aromatic isn't ginger, it's garlic. Instead of using garlic, use a smashed clove of garlic (step 3 above)
    If you add the beaten egg directly into the rice (step 6 above), it's going to become a gummy mess. The egg should be scrambled separately, either at the beginning (and then removed while you cook the rice) or in a different pan, and...+READ

    Hmm, to me, this isn't going to work.

    Fried rice's main aromatic isn't ginger, it's garlic. Instead of using garlic, use a smashed clove of garlic (step 3 above)
    If you add the beaten egg directly into the rice (step 6 above), it's going to become a gummy mess. The egg should be scrambled separately, either at the beginning (and then removed while you cook the rice) or in a different pan, and THEN you fold it back into the cooked rice.
    Try adding in some more ingredients, or else it's just so plain. Frozen veggie medley, frozen corn, even leftover meat/shrimp/tofu can go in.
    What the recipe doesn't mention is that the most important thing about the rice is that it should be cold. If you don't have leftover rice from the night before, don't try cooking rice and then making fried rice the same day. You'll end up with a gummy mess. Fried rice should only be made with cold rice, be it leftovers from takeout or not.

    My non-recipe recipe:
    (1) Scramble egg(s), allowing 1 per person or serving. Remove from pan, wipe clean with paper towel.If you're adding any meat or seafood, cook it now. Remove from pan, wipe clean again. Make sure to season while you cook.
    (2) Heat oil in pan, add 1 smashed clove of garlic. Cook until fragrant or even golden and blistered.
    (2) Add cold rice. Break up any clumps, try to coat rice with garlic infused oil. If it seems dry, add more oil.
    (3) One rice grains are loose, add your other ingredients (I like using frozen corn at minimum). Fold together with rice in pan. Also add in scrambled egg and any other pre-cooked meats.
    (4) Season with salt and pepper. No sesame oil. Some people prefer soy sauce instead of salt.
    (5) Remove from pan, serve.-COLLAPSE

  • Sure looks like a recipe to me. Maybe you should call this series "Recipies for Beginners."