Fried rice is made from cooked rice stir-fried with eggs, vegetables and sauce. Since you can include a variety of vegetables or protein sources, fried rice can be a handy dish made from leftovers. Traditionally Japanese fried rice is cooked over hibachi, a grill with an open surface. But you can also make this dish with a wok or a large skillet. Follow these steps to learn how to make Japanese fried rice.
- Preparation time (with cooked rice): 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 760 grams of cold white rice or brown rice
- 2 eggs, scrambled and cut into cubes
- 150 grams of peas
- 2 tbsp carrots, finely chopped
- 75 grams of onions, diced
- Other vegetables such as corn, edamame (green soybeans) and chilies to taste.
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Meat or tofu (optional)
- Other spices to taste
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation for Cooking
Step 1. Cook 760 grams of white or brown rice
Rice usually needs water in the amount of 2:1 compared to the amount of rice. The cooking time of rice depends on whether the rice is brown or white and whether the grains are long or short. Most rice cooking processes involve boiling water, adding the rice, then simmering gently over low heat without stirring for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of rice. Read the rice packaging for specific cooking instructions.
- Using jasmine rice can give your Japanese fried rice a slightly more authentic taste and texture. If jasmine rice is not available, any type of long grain rice can be used.
- Rice can also be pre-cooked in a slow cooker by combining boiling water and rice, then cooking it on low heat for 3 hours.
Step 2. Put the rice in the fridge
Cold rice is better than warm rice. Cooking rice the day before cooking time for fried rice is the best way to go. But if you can't do that, then letting the rice cool for a few hours will suffice.
Step 3. Cut the vegetables
Since fried rice cooks very quickly over high heat, it is best to prepare all the vegetables before starting to cook. You may need to group the vegetables together into bowls based on the time it takes to cook them. For example, you can group onions, garlic and carrots together; peas with edamame together and spices and sauce together.
Step 4. Scramble the eggs
Scramble both eggs in a small skillet over medium heat. Then remove from the stove and cut the fried egg into small pieces. You'll only be adding these eggs to your fried rice towards the end of the cooking process, but it's easier to do this before you start cooking the rest of the ingredients.
Step 5. Cook whatever meat you want to add
Various sources of protein such as chicken, pork loin, ham, beef or shrimp can be included in fried rice. Cooking the meat first is the best way to make sure it reaches the proper internal temperature before putting it in the fried rice. Slice the meat before or after you cook it so the meat is ready to add to the rice.
Part 2 of 3: Cooking Fried Rice
Step 1. Heat a wok or skillet
The surface temperature of the cookware must be very hot before you start cooking. Using a stove on a high or medium-high heat is best, depending on the heat source and the surface of your cookware.
Step 2. Add butter
While some recipes suggest using oil, most hibachi restaurants use butter. In addition, many people who have tried different types of oil at home have found that butter produces the most authentic taste of fried rice. Heat the butter until it melts but don't let it turn brown.
Step 3. Sauté the onions, carrots and garlic
Spread these vegetables over the entire surface of the pan so they cook evenly. Continue to sauté for a few minutes until the onions start to turn transparent.
Step 4. Add the other vegetables
Add peas, edamame, corn and any other vegetables you wish to add to the fried rice. You can try adding chilies, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, pumpkin, or leafy greens like kale or spinach for a healthy touch. Cook these vegetables for a few minutes, until the tougher vegetables begin to soften.
Step 5. Spread the rice over the vegetables
Pour the cold rice over the vegetables that are being cooked, then start to stir to mix the rice with the vegetables evenly. Continue cooking on the stove over medium-high or high heat.
Step 6. Cook until the rice and vegetables turn brown
Cook until the color of the rice changes to an even golden brown. Be sure to stir the rice periodically and try not to overcrowd the mixture by adding too many ingredients to the pan at once.
Part 3 of 3: Finishing Cooking Fried Rice
Step 1. Add protein sources and seasonings
When the rice is beautifully browned and the vegetables are done; add salt, pepper, spices, fried eggs that have been cut into pieces and cooked meat. Keep stirring while the ingredients are hot again and the flavors blend together.
Try adding the gomasio seasoning for an authentic taste. This seasoning is a combination of salt, seaweed, sugar, and sesame seeds and you can find it in the international food section of grocery stores
Step 2. Slowly pour the sesame oil and sauce over it
Slowly pour in the sesame oil and other sauces such as soy sauce and oyster sauce. These sauces are meant to be added after cooking and should be added right after the fried rice is removed from the stove.
Step 3. Divide the dish into several portions
Serve the fried rice in a bowl or plate. You may want to garnish the dish with some toasted sesame seeds or scallions and serve with a dip such as soy sauce or yum yum sauce.
Step 4. Serve while hot
Serve while the rice is still hot. If you need to warm up leftover fried rice, be sure to heat it in a skillet or wok, not in the microwave.
Tips
- Gomoku meshi is a type of Japanese fried rice cooked by adding chicken, carrots, fried tofu, mushrooms and diced burdock to rice and cooking it with soy sauce, sake and sugar.
- Chahan is Chinese fried rice that has been slightly altered to suit Japanese tastes, sometimes by adding katsuobushi which is dried and fermented smoked tuna, for a distinctive taste.
