to making it like you get from the Chinese takeaways ? I can't even get close.
tama2toes,
Mar 4, 5:40am
Tried to do it myself as well what a friggin disaster! Feed it to the dogs in the end
cookessentials,
Mar 4, 9:58am
pre cook your rice the day before, you need to have it dry before putting it in the stir fry otherwise it becomes a gluggy mess. I have a great recipe (somewhere) which I have made on a few occasions and it is always lovely.
traceedwards,
Mar 4, 11:37am
MSG
cookessentials,
Mar 4, 12:20pm
you dont need msg for a tasty fried rice- the trick is in the rice itself
datoofairy,
Mar 4, 12:28pm
The trick is to let the rice dry out first. Then have the oil really hot and keep it constantly moving in the pan. A wok works best because only the rice in the bottom is over the direct heat while rest keeps warm up the sides and its easier to toss the rice around. When you boil the rice, rinse it well first, then just cover with water and bring to the boil. Then put a tight fitting lid on and turn the heat off till the rice has absorbed all the water. Well boiled rice should have a crusty layer in the bottom of the pot. Spread the cooked rice out in an even later in a shallow wide dish and leave it overnight.
toeblister,
Mar 4, 1:48pm
Hi datoofairy just saw your thread and thought wow I could improve on my fried rice. Tell me though is is right that 'you boil the rice, rinse it well first, then just cover with water and bring to the boil. Then put a tight fitting lid on and turn the heat off till the rice has absorbed all the water'Are you saying the rice would be cooked then? wow :)
crsdbl,
Mar 4, 3:59pm
all of the above aaand... . we spoke to the lady at the chinese shop the other day about it, i thought hubby was being really cheeky asking how they do it but hey, she told us, lol. she said use white pepper, and however much salt you use equal it with sugar.
datoofairy,
Mar 4, 4:02pm
I'm not sure why you are so sceptical. This method was taught to me by an ex-boyfriend, who was Chinese and grew up in a Chinese restaurant. Its always worked well for me.
fifie,
Mar 4, 4:44pm
Good fried rice, #6 is on to it. Its the starch that you rinse out first that makes the rice go gluggy, cook as suggested, perfect every Time...
toeblister,
Mar 4, 5:39pm
Hi again datoofairy please except my apology if you thought I was questioning your wonderful advice on how long to cook rice. I was saying wow... only that long that's great news when I'm so used to cooking it for 20 mins in the microwave. Thanks for the tip. :)
datoofairy,
Mar 4, 6:09pm
Hi toeblister, I have to admit I am in a grotty mood today and I am sorry I sounded snarky. When you boil the rice the way I suggested, it will still be slightly firm in the centre. It would be undercooked if were to eat it like that. However when you later fry it, it finishes cooking, leaving you withnice firm, perfectly cooked rice. I also agree with what was already said about equal amounts of salt and sugar. I prefer using sesame oil, although if I have none I will use regular cooking oil. I also prefer to marinate the meat when I cook the rice and leave that overnight as well. I know some people like to pour a lightly beaten egg into the fried rice. I prefer to lightly beat the egg with a dash of soya sauce and cook it in a separate fry pan, tipping the pan lots to make a thin crepe. Then I slice it up and add it to the fried rice at the end. Yummo!
lythande1,
Mar 4, 6:11pm
Who knows? I find there's bland and gluggy. Make my own and add a bit of soya sauce at the end.
gaspodetwd,
Mar 4, 10:32pm
We make great fried rice. Totally agree that you need really cold cooked rice. Preferably done in a rice cooker - and you need the right sort of rice. I prefer high grade Indian basmati. And you need a lot of oil - this is not a healthy dish. Good quality sunflower oil - definitely not olive! As well as sesame oil. You also need fresh ginger and garlic. These are essential. Ragingly hot wok.
effcee1,
Mar 6, 4:21pm
Can you tell me if you use any particular rice ? Thanks
iamkat,
Mar 6, 5:18pm
I disagree about requiring a lot of oil -I make a great fried rice and only need a couple of tsps of oil. I also learned from a friend who is chinese - man I used to love having dinner at their place ! !
bob_doe_nz,
Mar 6, 5:21pm
A half half mix of plain Long Grain and Jasmine rice works well.
Edit: I meant combined together before cooking.
neil_di,
Mar 6, 6:30pm
We recently had a chinese cook staying with us and apart from the usual cooking and completly cooling the rice pref on a shallow tray she mixed into the rice an egg white which separated it really well. The only seasoning were salt, pepper and a "small" amount of soya sauce. . the main flavours came from the additions which were shrimp, bacon garlic shallot, "chinese' dried mushrooms, egg and that was it. We took it to a bbq and everyone loved it and were looking for more. . so simple and so authentic.
andrea1978,
Mar 7, 2:16am
I think onion is important for flavour and if you aren't after an authentic chinese fried rice recipe bacon is very tasty! Also I like to use oyster sauce, enough salt and pepper and spring onions are a must too! Apart from that add whatever you like - frozen veges are good, but cook them first and egg is great too (also made separately). Sometimes chopped chilli is nice too! But then I like my Kaitaia Fire and/or fresh chilli with almost anything :D
To me the secret is having enough flavour and this often means salt! Don't be afraid of salt ;)
nichola_h,
Mar 9, 2:26am
You need to use refridgerated rice - cook it the day before and put it in the fridge, then use it straight from the fridge (was taught this at asian cooking class)
nzldave,
Mar 11, 2:24am
What a difference using washed, pre-cooked and cooled rice has made. I'll sure try some of the other suggestions too. Does anyone know how long pre-cooked rice can be frozen for ? Thanks for all the tips
cookessentials,
Mar 11, 12:41pm
#18 - yes, the drying of the rice on a tray is one of the tricks i use. You need a good cooked, dry cold rice.
roxursox,
Mar 11, 10:46pm
Do you have to use these kinds of oil as I only cook with Rice Bran oil, would this do? ?
mwood,
Mar 11, 11:40pm
you need an oil that will tolerate high heat without smoking - peanut oil is the best for this reason for domestic use for stir fry and fried rice
aktow,
Mar 12, 10:13am
i cook my rice off and run it under water, drain. i fry off chicken pieces, steak, onions , then i beat two eggs andplace in fry pan. i tilt pan so egg covers the whole bottom of pan. tip on to board and dice up. . i get frypan real hot with a little oil. add rice and keep folding. add lots of soya sauce. add lots of salt. more the better as salt bring out flavour. add pepper, then add cooked meats and keep stirring using egg slice, at the end add chopped parsley and cashews.
my rice is never sticky, , there are some rice seasonings at foodtown that make rice really nice. .
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