Equipment
Ingredients
Proteins and Eggs
- 250 g ground pork, raw, lean
- 120 g spanish chorizo, cured, cut into 5 mm dice
- 2 large eggs, raw
Aromatics and Vegetables
- 4 garlic, finely minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
- 2 bird's eye chili, thinly sliced into rounds
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green tops separated from white bases
- 80 g frozen green peas, thawed
Grains, Fats, and Seasonings
- 600 g cooked jasmine rice, chilled, day-old, clumps broken apart
- 30 ml low-sodium soy sauce
- 20 ml oyster sauce
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 2 g white pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 589 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Whisk the large eggs in a small bowl until the yolks and whites are fully integrated, then set aside near the cooktop.
Preheat a wok over high heat to 200°C (392°F) until light wisps of smoke appear, then swirl in 5 ml of vegetable oil to coat the bottom.
Pour the beaten eggs into the hot wok and stir rapidly with a wok spatula for 45 seconds until soft curds set and reach 71°C (160°F), then transfer the scrambled eggs back to the small bowl.
Add the diced Spanish chorizo to the empty wok over medium-high heat at 180°C (356°F) and stir for 2 minutes with the wok spatula to render the red spiced fat and crisp the edges.
Add the ground pork to the rendered chorizo oil in the wok, breaking up the meat with the wok spatula, and sauté for 4 minutes until no longer pink and verified at a safe minimum internal temperature of 71°C (160°F) using an instant-read meat thermometer.
Stir the minced garlic, minced ginger, sliced bird's eye chili, and scallion white segments into the sizzling meats for 1 minute with the wok spatula until fragrant.
Increase heat to high at 220°C (428°F), drizzle in the remaining 10 ml vegetable oil, add the chilled cooked jasmine rice, and press firmly against the hot wok surface with the wok spatula for 3 minutes to separate and toast the grains.
Pour the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and white pepper around the scorching upper perimeter of the wok, tossing vigorously with the wok spatula for 2 minutes to coat every grain.
Fold the reserved cooked eggs, thawed green peas, and scallion green tops into the wok, tossing constantly with the wok spatula for 1 minute until completely heated through.
Transfer the hot fried rice onto a large serving platter using the wok spatula and serve immediately while steaming.
Chef's Notes
- Drying cooked jasmine rice uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours removes moisture from the grain surfaces, preventing sticking and guaranteeing distinct, individual grains.
- Cured Spanish chorizo naturally renders vibrant red oil packed with smoked pimenton; using this fat to brown the ground pork infuses the entire dish with deep pork savoriness.
- Pouring sauces around the high sloping walls of the wok flash-caramelizes the sugars instantly, producing genuine wok hei complexity without boiling the rice grains.
- Always maintain strict station sanitation: clean all knives, prep surfaces, and hands thoroughly after portioning raw ground pork before touching ready-to-eat garnishes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Transfer leftovers into shallow airtight containers and chill within two hours of cooking.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze completely cooled rice in airtight freezer bags pressed flat.
Reheating: Reheat thoroughly in a hot skillet or microwave until the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Troubleshooting
Fried rice turns out clumpy, wet, and mushy
Cause: The rice contained too much moisture from being freshly cooked or warm when added
Fix: Spread the fried rice onto a broad baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 150°C (300°F) for 5 to 7 minutes to evaporate surface steam
Prevention: Use day-old cooked rice that has rested uncovered in the refrigerator to dry out surface starches
Ground pork fails to reach the required safe internal temperature
Cause: The meat was kept in oversized chunks rather than broken down during frying
Fix: Return the pork to the hot wok over medium-high heat and sauté until an instant-read meat thermometer reads at least 71°C (160°F)
Prevention: Continuously chop and separate ground pork with the edge of the wok spatula during the sear
Pungent or bitter burned flavor in the rendered oil
Cause: The heat was excessively high when rendering the chorizo, scorching the smoked paprika
Fix: Cannot be fixed if the oil is blackened; discard burned oil and rendered meat before starting fresh
Prevention: Render cured chorizo over medium-high heat at 180°C (356°F) rather than maximum burner capacity
Cultural Context
Fried rice was developed during the Sui Dynasty in eastern China as an ingenious and economical technique to transform leftover cold rice into a vibrant meal. This contemporary fusion creation marries traditional Chinese wok mastery with Spanish charcuterie traditions, substituting classic Chinese cured sausage with fiery, smoked pimenton chorizo. The resulting dish illustrates the harmony of global culinary exchange, where intense wok heat amplifies both European and Asian flavor profiles.
