This Mushroom Fried Rice is garlicky, buttery, irresistible, and ready in under 20 minutes. I take the classic fried rice recipe and enhance it with a generous dose of garlic, caramelized mushrooms, and rich buttery goodness.
Place a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and then garlic. Saute for 10 to 30 seconds, until it begins to get golden (you will begin to smell the incredible garlicky aroma).
Add red pepper flakes, onion and sliced mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring very often, until mushrooms are cooked and gets a deep colorPro tip: Begin low and then increase to high! Unlike traditional recipes, I begin by cooking chopped garlic in butter over low heat, until they get pale golden in color. This takes the bite off of it, as well as releases its aromas and flavors into the butter, which will then perfume the dish with garlicky goodness..
Stir in rice, scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir until thoroughly combined and rice is heated though.Tip: Finishing with butter adds more buttery flavor and imparts a glistening finish!
Notes
Butter - Salted or unsalted Rice – Any cooked white rice that you have on hand will work. It will be great if rice is day-old. Heat – Unlike usual fried rice recipes, where it is usually cooked over high heat, this recipe begins over low heat (when cooking garlic), contiues in high heat (sauteeing mushrooms) and finishes off in low heat (to finish).Cook garlic in low heat- This is very crucial since, garlic will burn in high heat (burnt garlic gets bitter and will spoil the taste). Also, this helps in the butter milk solids in not getting burned.Cook mushroom in high heat – Mushrooms contain about 90% moisture. So cooking mushroom in high heat over a short period, helps in retaining some of that moisture and texture, when compared to a mushy texture when compared cooking over low heat for a longer time.Salt – Soy sauce adds some saltiness and butter (if using salted), but a little additional salt takes it to another level.Red pepper flakes – This is optional but recommended