EASY 20-Minute Fried Rice Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

How to make fried rice without it being a day old? ›

To get that perfect day-old rice without waiting 24 hours, the process is actually fairly simple. Just rinse and drain fresh, raw rice and sauté in oil. Add a little less water than you normally would to the pan, and bring to the boil before covering and simmering.

But this ingredient makes such a difference in good fried rice, and a little goes a long way. So even if you're not into oysters, don't be scared of oyster sauce! Toasted sesame oil, on the other hand, is 100% non-negotiable. It is my favorite smelling ingredient in my kitchen, and tastes wonderful in fried rice.

Allow the pot to sit on the warm hotplate for 10 minutes to allow the steam to continue cooking the rice. Use a fork to fluff the rice grains and transfer to a large baking tray. Place the rice, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best though) before using for fried rice.

Day old rice is needed to avoid the rice being soggy. It also means that it's cold and dry enough so that it will fry in the wok in the oil, vs. basically steaming if you used fresh cooked rice. Don't mess about with the oil.

Let the rice stand for one to two hours until it's cooled to room temperature. Resting and cooling your rice allows excess moisture to evaporate, which also helps keep grains from clumping. If you want to do this a day or two ahead, let the rice cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container.

Consider sesame seeds, crushed nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) or even some fresh pomegranate seeds to add a nice pop and textural twist to quick-cooking rice. If you're feeling ambitious, try frying chickpeas until crispy for a savory, protein-rich, crunchy rice addition.

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Cooking bits of chopped vegetables, seasoning, soy sauce, and oil, seems easy enough. However, when making fried rice at home, there's one ingredient you may be overlooking: Sugar.

Fried rice syndrome is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which is present in these types of starchy foods prior to cooking. Bacillus cereus is a heat-resistant bacteria, so even recooking foods that have not been appropriately refrigerated can result in food poisoning.

What is the best rice for fried rice? ›

Which rice is best for fried rice? Pick a medium-grain white rice, which is the standard in Chinese cuisine. A fresh batch of this variety turns out sticky in your rice cooker, which makes it easy to eat with chopsticks, yet it also has the ability to separate into individual grains.

Fry rice, stirring constantly, until no clumps remain and you begin to hear some light popping sounds from the rice toasting, 2 to 3 minutes.

Excess Water and Incorrect Water Ratio: Too much water during cooking often results in mushy rice. The water ratio is critical; too much water causes the rice grains to absorb more liquid than they can handle, leading to a breakdown in their structure.

Unlike freshly cooked rice, which forms soft, mushy clumps when stir-fried, chilled leftover white rice undergoes a process called retrogradation, in which the starch molecules form crystalline structures that make the grains firm enough to withstand the second round of cooking.

Spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray so it cools rapidly. Then, when cold, put into a container, cover and chill in the fridge. Keep the rice for no more than a day before reheating it – and then only reheat it once. Whichever reheating method you use, make sure the rice is piping hot before serving.

Once I cook the rice, how should it be stored for that day? In a container in the fridge. For longer periods, freeze it.

If not eaten immediately, cooled cooked rice should be stored in a shallow container, covered tightly and refrigerated. Rice can be refrigerated for 3 to 5 days or frozen for up to six months. Cooked rice that has been properly cooled and refrigerated or frozen may be reheated.