Yangchow Fried Rice

Difficulty Level: ⅓           Cooking Time: 30 mins          Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp garlic (chopped)
• 3 cups rice (cooked and cooled)
• 200g char siu (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup green beans (sliced)
• 1-2 carrots (peeled and diced)
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ½ cup frozen corn
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

To Cook

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Blanch the beans, carrots, peas and corn for 1 min or until just cooked, and then carefully transfer into an ice bath to stop further cooking.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add chopped garlic and then stir fry for 1 min or until fragrant.
3. Add cold rice, pressing against the side of the wok to remove any lumps, then add in blanched vegetables and char siu. Stir fry for 2 mins.
4. Reduce heat to medium, then move fried rice to one side of the wok. Pour in eggs on the other side, then combine with rice. Cook for a further 1-2 mins until done. Season with salt to taste.

All about Yangchow Fried Rice

Chinese fried rice is the quintessential comfort food. Think of it—a bowl of steaming white rice cooked to just the right consistency, filled with bits of meat and vegetable. No wonder fried rice is one of the world’s most popular rice dishes!

Fried Rice History

While the exact origins of fried rice are lost to history, it’s believed that it was invented sometime during the Sui dynasty (A.D. 589–618), in the city of Yangzhou in eastern Jiangsu province.

Yangchow (Yangzhou) fried rice is still the standard by which all other Chinese fried rice dishes are judged: morsels of fluffy rice tossed with roast pork, prawns, scallions, and peas. In American-Chinese restaurants, you’ll sometimes find it called “special fried rice.”

Fried Rice Today

Today, fried rice dishes are found throughout China, particularly in the south, where rice is the staple grain.

Fried rice can be served either as a main dish or side dish. Simple fried rice, without any meat or seafood, makes a nice substitute for plain cooked rice at an evening meal.

At Chinese banquets, fried rice is frequently served at the conclusion of the main meal, before the dessert course.