Chinese Fried Rice
What to do with leftover rice? Do what the Chinese do: Make fried rice.
You might think of fried rice as a greasy side dish. But growing up in a Chinese home, I always looked forward to my grandmother’s fried rice. It was a complete one-dish meal with vegetables, protein and rice all on one plate.
Fried rice is also fast and easy to prepare. It’s the perfect solution for leftovers. You need only two or three items.
Let’s start with the meat. Fried rice is usually made with beef, chicken or seafood, but breakfast and lunch meats are great for fried rice too. The flavors of ham, sausage and bacon are ideal.
As for vegetables, leftover greens are a great addition. Fresh lettuce, spinach and carrots also work well. Have extra canned vegetables? Don’t be afraid to throw them in. And don’t forget the onions, those poor neglected guys that are sprouting greens because they’ve been sitting so long. Toss ‘em in too.
Assembling fried rice is very easy. You probably have the sauces--soy sauce and oyster sauce--in the cupboard. Be as creative or as simple as you want. But please, don’t let fried rice get a bad name.
Heat skillet or wok over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons oil and garlic. Saute garlic until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Add egg and scramble until yolk is set but egg is not dry or overcooked.
Add white onion, green onions, cabbage and white pepper to taste. (If skillet becomes dry and vegetables start to stick, add 1 more tablespoon oil.)
Add bacon to skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in rice, gently mixing with egg and vegetables. Cook, stirring, over high heat until rice is heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce, and stir to coat rice. Keep stirring until vegetables soften and rice starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
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