The Fried Rice My Dad's Made Over 100,000 Times

Ingredients

• 397 g (14 oz)uncooked jasmine rice
• 397 g (14 oz)water
• 28 g (1 oz)spring onion
• 57 g (2 oz)carrot
• 113 g (4 oz)frozen sweetcorn and peas
• 4 largeeggs
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• 71 ml (0.3 cup)water
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)light soy sauce
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)dark soy sauce
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• ½ teaspoonsugar
• 1 teaspoonchicken stock powder
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the rice

   Rinse the rice three times, using fresh water for each rinse. This removes excess starch, which can make the grains stick together. Drain it thoroughly after the final rinse, then cook it; the recipe does not specify the cooking method.

2. 2

   Cut the vegetables

   Separate the green parts of the spring onions and dice them finely. Keep the white parts for another dish.

3. 3

   Season the eggs

   Crack the eggs into a bowl, season them with ½ teaspoon of salt and set aside.

4. 4

   Steam and fluff

   When the rice has finished cooking, leave it covered for a further 2 minutes to steam. Fluff the rice afterwards. The method mentions microwaving the vegetables but gives no timing or further instructions.

5. 5

   Stir-fry and season

   Heat a wok over high heat and beat the eggs. Turn the heat down to low, add the first 2 tablespoons of oil and spread it over the wok surface. The supplied method ends here, so it does not give the remaining stir-frying or seasoning instructions.

6. 6

   Plate the rice

   The recipe says the fried rice can be plated in two ways, but the supplied method does not describe either option.

What is Chinese fried rice?

Fried rice is a Chinese dish built around cooked rice stir-fried with other ingredients and seasoning. It is adaptable, and the exact combination varies from kitchen to kitchen.

This version pairs jasmine rice with egg, spring onion, carrot, peas and sweetcorn, with light and dark soy sauces for seasoning. The recipe is attributed to a Chinese chef with more than 60 years of experience, though the supplied method leaves out several cooking details.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 540 calories, 16g protein, 87g carbs, 12g fat.

The rice provides most of the carbohydrates, while the eggs contribute much of the protein and the oil adds most of the fat. The soy sauces, salt and stock powder contribute sodium; add a vegetable side and keep additional salty sauces modest to balance the plate.

Getting the rice ready

Rinsing: Three washes with fresh water help remove surface starch, so the grains are less likely to clump. Drain the rice well before cooking.

Steaming: The method calls for leaving the cooked rice covered for 2 extra minutes, then fluffing it. It does not specify how to cook the rice or whether to chill it before stir-frying.

Preparing the vegetables and eggs

Spring onion: Use the finely diced green parts in the rice and reserve the whites for another dish, as directed.

Eggs: Season them with the first ½ teaspoon of salt before setting them aside. The instructions say to beat them later, once the wok is hot.

Frozen vegetables: The ingredients include frozen peas and sweetcorn, and the method mentions microwaving the vegetables but gives no timings or details.

The wok and oil

Heat: The method starts by heating the wok on high, then asks you to lower the heat to low before adding the first 30 ml of oil. Spread it across the wok surface as instructed.

Missing detail: The supplied directions stop before explaining how to cook the eggs, combine the ingredients or use the remaining tablespoon of oil. Follow a complete method from the original recipe before attempting those stages.

Seasoning the rice

Soy sauces: Light soy sauce and dark soy sauce are both listed, along with salt, sugar and chicken stock powder. The supplied method does not state when or how much of each to add.

Taste: Because the ingredient list contains salt in both the egg and seasoning portions, avoid adding extra salt until you have checked the finished rice.

Serving ideas

The recipe notes that there are two ways to plate the rice, but does not describe them. Serve it as a main or alongside a vegetable dish or another Chinese-style dish if you want a broader meal.

For a more balanced plate, add extra vegetables alongside the rice rather than relying only on the listed small quantity of carrot, peas and sweetcorn.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use fresh water for each of the three rice rinses.
• Drain the rice thoroughly after the final rinse.
• Keep the spring onion whites for another dish, as the recipe directs.
• Leave the cooked rice covered for the full 2-minute steaming rest.
• Check the salt level before adding any extra seasoning.
• Consult the complete original method for the missing stir-frying and plating directions.

Variations

• Extra vegetables: Add more carrot or other vegetables if you have a complete method for incorporating them.
• More spring onion: Use additional green parts for a stronger onion flavour.
• Milder seasoning: Reduce the soy sauces in a complete version of the method and taste as you go.
• Fresh vegetables: Replace the frozen peas and sweetcorn with fresh equivalents, adjusting the cooking to suit.
• Vegetarian stock: Use vegetable stock powder instead of chicken stock powder for a meat-free version.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the rinses: Excess surface starch can make the grains stick; rinse three times with fresh water.
• Leaving the rice wet: Poor draining can leave extra water behind; drain it thoroughly after the last rinse.
• Using the spring onion whites: The recipe sets these aside for another dish; use the green parts here.
• Guessing the missing cook times: The supplied method omits key stir-frying directions; consult the full original instructions rather than improvising exact timings.
• Adding more salt straight away: Salt is listed twice; taste the finished dish before seasoning further.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout, adding a small splash of water if the rice seems dry; reheat only once.

Frequently asked questions