This Better than Take Out Fried Rice is totally customizable using any vegetables you have around. It is quick, easy and absolutely delicious!!!!
It is fast, easy, delicious and kid friendly! One of my favorite part is that it is a great way to sneak in a lot veggies.
Chinese veg fried rice is a basic recipe that can be made with any vegetables you have in the fridge along with scrambled eggs. But, basic does not mean basic taste. This is one recipe that might become your family favorite.
Better than take out fried rice:
- Customizable
- Fast
- Easy
- kid friendly
- Comforting
- Cost effective than take out
- Tastes amazing
Main ingredients:
Rice - Any cooked white rice that you have on hand will work. It will be great if rice is day-old. Though jasmine rice is traditional, basmati rice is a great replacement as well. In fact, oyster sauce fried rice is usually a way to re-purpose leftover rice. You just don’t want hot rice.
Vegetables - Any combination of vegetables that you have around will work (more details below).
Eggs - One of the key ingredient
Sauces - Soy sauce, oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil
How to make fried rice?
Heat a dash of oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add eggs, scramble and remove onto a plate.
Heat some more oil, saute onion, garlic and vegetables. Cook, until vegetables have softened yet stays crunchy. Add cooked rice, cooked eggs, chopped scallion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and ground pepper. Stir fry for couple of minutes and enjoy hot.
Tips for making the best Chinese veg fried rice recipe:
Cold rice - Cold refrigerated rice, preferably day old is perfect. Hot cooked rice will turn slightly mushy when stir fried, so it is important for the rice to be cold or room temperature.If you don’t have cold rice from the day before, then spread hot cooked rice on sheet trays and let it hang out at room temperature for couple of hours to help it dry.
Vegetables - Any combination of the following vegetables are great:
- Carrot (peeled and cut into small dice)
- Peas (frozen or thawed)
- Corn (frozen or thawed)
- Cauliflower (cut into tiny florets)
- Broccoli (cut into tiny florets)
- Broccoli stems (peel tough outer skin and cut into thin slice)
- Kale (chopped)
- Spinach (chopped)
- Green beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- Cabbage (thinly sliced)
You will need need a total of 2 to 3 cups for this recipe. Since, some vegetables take longer to cook (except thawed peas/corn, spinach and cabbage), the recipe requires adding vegetables in two stages. The vegetables that require more cooking time are added along with onion, whereas others are added few minutes later.
Root vegetables like potato and sweet potato are NOT recommended.
Oyster Sauce - It is a key ingredient in making this delicious rice. Oyster sauce can be found at the Asian section of all major US grocery stores / Asian super markets / Amazon
Toasted Sesame oil - Essential in making an authentic tasting fried rice, but a little goes a long way.
Eggs - Egg is one of the essential part of a good fried rice. It adds flavor and texture.
High heat - It helps in fast cooking, charring the ingredients and gives a smoky flavor.
Dice all ingredients the same size for a even cooking and texture
Variations:
Chicken -Add finely chopped chicken before adding onions and saute in high heat for a minute or two and then continue with remaining ingredients. Another great option is shredded rotisserie chicken (add along with the vegetables)
Shrimp - Stir fry raw, peeled shrimp with a dash of oil, remove onto a plate before beginning to make the recipe. Toss cooked shrimp at the end along with rice and sauces.
Brown rice - Use cooked and cooled brown rice for a healthier twist.
Make it gluten free- Use gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce
What to serve with fried rice?
It is delicious plain for lunch or dinner, with a squirt of Sriracha (if you like it spicy) or as a side dish for along with -
Ground Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry
Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower and Cashews
Frequently asked questions:
Cold rice preferably day old is perfect. Generally, fried rice is a way to repurpose leftover rice from the previous day, since a day without cooking rice is a rare occurrence in most Asian households. Hot cooked rice will turn slightly mushy when stir fried, so it is important for the rice to be cold or room temperature.
Fried rice makes a great meal prep candidate. It is fabulous as leftovers! So good, that some folks love to eat it cold straight from the refrigerator.
If you don’t have cold rice from the day before, then spread hot cooked rice on a sheet tray and let it hang out at room temperature for couple of hours to help it dry.
Place cooled fried rice into a ziplock bag, seal and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wok or saute pan, add rice and saute for 4-5 minutes in high heat, until heated through. Alternatively, empty contents into a microwave safe plate/bowl and microwave until hot.
Better than Take out Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 to 3 cups finely chopped vegetables refer notes for choices
- Group-1
- 3 cups cooked and cooled white rice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
- 1 and ½ tablespoons oyster sauce or to taste
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 scallions chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat, until very hot.
- Add eggs, cook until scrambled (stirring occasionally) and remove on to plate.
- Add remaining oil (reduce heat to medium-high) and then diced onion, garlic and harder vegetables (that need longer cooking time like carrot, frozen peas, frozen corn, green beans, cauliflower).
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on medium high heat, until vegetables have softened.
- Increase heat to high and remaining vegetables (except scallions), stir fry for 2 minutes, until cooked but still crunchy.
- Add group-1 ingredients (rice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, pepper and scallions) and cooked egg. Continue stirring for 2 minutes, until rice is heated through. (Taste and season with additional pepper/salt/ soy sauce / oyster sauce if needed).
Notes
- Carrot (peeled and cut into small dice)
- Peas (frozen or thawed)
- Corn (frozen or thawed)
- Cauliflower (cut into tiny florets)
- Broccoli (cut into tiny florets)
- Broccoli stems (peel tough outer skin and cut into thin slice)
- Kale (chopped)
- Spinach (chopped)
- Green beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- Cabbage (thinly sliced)
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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