Classic Chinese Fried Rice

 

Fried rice is one of my absolute favorite Chinese dishes. Personally, shrimp fried rice is my go to, but there are so many variations. It's also super easy and affordable to make, once you know a few tricks!

 
Ingredients:

4 whole large eggs, whisked until smooth

1/4 cup soy sauce, or to taste
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 large bag frozen peas with diced carrots
4 cups cooked rice

8 green onions, chopped, including white parts

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Protein (if desired)

1 lb raw, peeled, deveined shrimp  (sauteed until pink and firm, but not overcooked)

OR - you can add diced chicken, Chinese BBQ Pork (click link for recipe) mixed vegetables, steak... this is an easy recipe to modify!

Directions:

Heat the sesame oil on medium high heat in a large non-stick pan and add the rice. The true secret for fried rice is that leftover, cold or room temperature rice is far easier to crisp than hot rice you've just steamed. If you know you're making this dish in advance, you can make the rice the day before OR what I usually do is if I make some sort of dinner with rice, I set some aside and make fried rice sometime later that week.

The first time I learned this trick, someone suggested saving plain takeout rice and using it to make fried rice... a funny idea, ordering Chinese delivery one day and then making Chinese food from scratch a few days later!  But... I've used this trick multiple times, ha ha... I do really like fried rice!

Cook the rice, stirring as necessary, for about 10 minutes or until it gets brown and crispy.  Add the egg to the edge of the pan and mix it around until scrambled, then integrate into the rice.  Add the veggies, soy sauce and white pepper, then cook until desired texture is achieved.  Taste and add additional soy, if needed.

If adding protein or veggies, you would cook those separately and then stir in once the rice is done.  Enjoy!

Char Siu - Chinese BBQ Pork

I wanted to make BBQ pork fried rice and had never realized that the pork in the rice is itself, from a classic Chinese recipe called "Char Siu". It's used in various recipes or just served alone.... and it's delicious.

Ingredients:
4 lb pork shoulder roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
4 cubes red bean curd
4 tablespoons five spice powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup marinade


Directions:

Slice the pork roast along the grain into long strips no thicker than 2 inches. Trim off any large pieces of fat.

Mix all the ingredients (with the exception of the glaze items) and mash in the bean curd.  Whisk until combined.

Pour marinade over pork until coated and marinate for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator, turning the pork at least once to ensure even distribution.  Reserve some of the leftover marinade for the glaze.

When ready to cook the pork, heat an oven to 400 degrees. Roast the pork uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes or until it starts to brown.  Whisk the glaze ingredients together until combined. Remove the pork from the oven and brush with the glaze, then return to oven for about 10 minutes, or until the glaze has dried.  Remove and glaze again.

You can glaze the pork as many times as you like, but somewhere between 3-5 times should do the trick.  Roast for about an hour or until the internal temp reaches 155 degrees, then remove.

If the pork does not have a crispy exterior at this point, glaze it again and turn the oven to broil, leaving the oven door open, until the meat is charred as desired.

Be sure to let the pork rest for at least 10 or 15 minutes before serving.  If making for fried rice, dice the pork into 1 inch pieces and combine with rice - here's a recipe for fried rice.  Enjoy!