Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g cooked white rice, chilled, day-old
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 100 g frozen green peas, thawed
- 2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
Seasonings and Oil
- 30 ml neutral oil
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 1 g white pepper
- g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 525 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1149 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 186 mg
- Potassium
- 365 mg
- Calcium
- 94 mg
- Iron
- 5.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 281 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 139 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 45 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.59 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 5.9 mg
- Folate
- 224 mcg
- Water
- 243 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them vigorously until the yolks and whites are completely combined and slightly frothy.
Place the chilled day-old rice into a bowl and use damp hands to crumble and separate the grains, ensuring there are no large clumps before cooking.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add half of the neutral oil, swirling to coat the pan. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble quickly until just set, about 30 seconds. Remove the eggs from the pan and set them aside.
Wipe the wok clean if necessary, return to high heat, and add the remaining neutral oil. Add the white parts of the spring onions and the thawed green peas. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the separated rice to the wok. Toss constantly with a spatula for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing the rice against the hot sides of the pan to heat it thoroughly and toast the grains slightly.
Pour the light soy sauce around the very edges of the wok rather than directly on the rice. This allows the sauce to sizzle and caramelize slightly. Toss immediately to coat all the grains evenly.
Return the scrambled eggs to the wok, breaking them up with your spatula. Add the green parts of the spring onions, toasted sesame oil, white pepper, and salt to taste. Toss everything together for 1 final minute. Ensure the reheated rice reaches an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Remove from heat, transfer the fried rice to serving plates or bowls, and serve immediately while hot.
Chef's Notes
- Wok Hei: The signature restaurant flavor of fried rice comes from high heat and tossing the rice through the air. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if scaling up the recipe.
- Breaking the Rice: Taking the time to physically separate clumps of cold rice with slightly damp hands before it hits the pan ensures every grain fries evenly.
- Soy Sauce Placement: Pouring soy sauce around the hot perimeter of the pan rather than directly onto the rice caramelizes the sugars in the soy sauce, deepening the flavor.
- Egg Texture: Cooking the egg separately and adding it back at the end prevents it from breaking down into microscopic unnoticeable pieces and keeps the rice from becoming overly wet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in heavily sealed portioned bags.
Reheating: Microwave with a splash of water covered, or stir-fry until thoroughly heated to 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
The fried rice is mushy, wet, or clumping heavily together.
Cause: Using freshly cooked, warm rice which contains too much surface starch and moisture.
Fix: Spread the rice out in the wok, lower the heat slightly, and cook longer to help evaporate excess moisture. The texture will not be perfect, but it will improve.
Prevention: Always use rice that has been cooked, cooled, and refrigerated overnight to dry out the grains.
The rice sticks severely to the bottom of the wok.
Cause: The pan was not hot enough before adding the oil, or the wok is not adequately seasoned.
Fix: Scrape the stuck bits vigorously if they are not burnt. If they are burnt, avoid scraping them into the final dish.
Prevention: Preheat the wok until it lightly smokes before adding cold oil, creating a non-stick surface.
Cultural Context
Chao fan, or fried rice, is a foundational dish in Chinese culinary tradition, originally conceived as a practical way to repurpose leftover ingredients and prevent waste. Found across diverse regional cuisines in China, it transforms simple day-old grains into a deeply satisfying, cohesive meal through the magic of high-heat wok cooking. Variations exist everywhere, but the core philosophy relies on a balanced symphony of rice, alliums, and minimal, high-quality seasonings.
