Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g cooked rice, cold and at least one day old
- 150 g frozen mixed vegetables, frozen solid
- 2 eggs
- 2 garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Liquids and Seasonings
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 547 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1098 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 300 mg
- Calcium
- 66 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 171 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 261 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 172 g
- Alcohol
- 32 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Crack the eggs into a small mixing bowl. Use a fork to vigorously mix them until the yellow and white parts are completely blended together.
Place the wok or large frying pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add exactly half of the vegetable oil and wait about one minute for the oil to become hot.
Pour the beaten eggs into the wok. Gently push the eggs around with your spatula for 30 to 45 seconds until they are solid but still soft. Move the cooked eggs to a clean plate and set them aside. The eggs should easily reach a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F during this process.
Return the empty wok to the stove. Add the remaining vegetable oil, the chopped garlic, and the frozen mixed vegetables directly from the freezer. Stir continuously with your spatula for 2 minutes until the vegetables are warm.
Add the cold cooked rice to the wok. Use the flat edge of your spatula to firmly press down on the rice to break apart any large clumps. Stir the rice and vegetables together constantly for 3 minutes.
Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice. Add the cooked eggs back into the wok. Stir everything continuously for 2 more minutes, using the spatula to chop the egg into smaller pieces, until the rice is evenly light brown and steaming hot. Ensure the entire dish reaches 74C/165F. Turn off the heat and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Day-old, cold rice is the absolute secret to great fried rice. The grains dry out in the refrigerator, preventing them from turning into a mushy clump in the hot pan.
- Always prepare, chop, and measure all your ingredients before turning on the stove. This is called 'mise en place'. Stir-frying happens very quickly, leaving you no time to measure while cooking.
- If you absolutely must use freshly cooked rice, spread it out thinly on a large baking sheet and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes. This quickly mimics the drying effect of leaving it in the fridge overnight.
- Wok cooking relies on high heat. Do not be afraid of the sizzling sounds; keep your spatula moving constantly to prevent burning while still getting a great sear on the rice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in individual portion containers.
Reheating: Microwave with a splash of water, or stir-fry in a pan until the entire dish reaches 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
The rice turned into a sticky, mushy paste instead of individual grains.
Cause: Using warm, freshly cooked rice holds too much moisture for stir-frying.
Fix: Cannot be fixed completely, but spreading it in a thin layer against the wok to cook slightly longer might dry it out a little.
Prevention: Always use leftover rice that has been chilling in the refrigerator overnight. The cold air dries the rice out perfectly for frying.
The garlic turned dark brown or black and tastes bitter.
Cause: The heat was too high or the garlic was left sitting in one spot for too long.
Fix: Unfixable once burnt. Next time, be ready to add the frozen vegetables immediately after the garlic to cool the pan down.
Prevention: Keep your spatula moving constantly as soon as the garlic hits the hot pan.
Cultural Context
Fried rice, known as Chao Fan, originated during the Sui dynasty in China as a practical, brilliant way to prevent leftover cooked rice from going to waste. Today, it is a global staple that varies endlessly from region to region, celebrated universally for its versatility, speed, and deep comforting appeal.
