It takes more than soy sauce to make a proper Chinese Fried Rice, just like what you get at Chinese restaurants. I learnt how to make proper Chinese Fried Rice from Australia’s most well known Chinese chef, Kylie Kwong!
The first thing some might notice is that there’s bacon in this Fried Rice. “That’s not authentic!”, you may be thinking.
And that’s true. Authentic Chinese restaurants make Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage. I’m betting that the vast majority of readers have never bought or cooked Chinese Sausage before.
But you know what? Kylie Kwong says bacon is ok. In fact, it’s the alternative in her recipe to Chinese Sausage. And as someone who has bought, cooked and eaten Chinese Sausage, I can assure you that bacon brings a very similar salty / oily / meaty pop to fried rice.
And as someone who has eaten a lot of fried rice in her time, here in Sydney, in China, Hong Kong, the US and London, I can also tell you that I’ve seen a fair share of fried rice made with bacon and even with ham!
So this recipe I have for you today is not so much about exactly what should be in the Fried Rice. Because even in China, and certainly in Chinese restaurants around the world, it’s clear that there are no hard and fast rules about what should be in a fried rice.
However! And there is a big “however”. While I give much concession to the additions, the thing you cannot skimp on is the sauce! The sauce has to be right – and it isn’t just soy sauce and chicken broth!
So here are my 10 8 commandments for making a great (proper!) Fried Rice. (I really wanted to say 10, but I can only think of 8 key ones.)
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No chicken broth / stock. This adds moisture to the rice which goes against the very core of what the texture of fried rice should be. Unless you’re trying to make Stewed Rice, not Fried Rice … 🤔
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Day old rice is best. Fried rice is not meant to be sticky and the only way to achieve that is with cooked rice that’s been refrigerated overnight. If you don’t have day old rice, you can cook rice, spread it on a tray then refrigerate to speed up the process (about 1 1/2 hours). Or keep bags of cooked rice in the freezer – that’s what I do!
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Chinese cooking wine is key. It’s the secret ingredient that makes this into a fried rice that really does taste like what you get in restaurants.
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High heat. Get that wok or skillet stinking hot and cook it hard and fast!
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Get everything prepared. Once you start cooking, it comes together fast. So have everything lined up and ready to throw into the wok!
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Keep it moving! Stir fry, stir fry, stir fry! Don’t let your ingredients sit still for a second!
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Don’t overcrowd. Even in a large home wok, 4 cups of rice is the max. Unless, as with #1, you are trying to make Stewed Rice.
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Char flavour is authentic. Next time you get takeout, notice how the fried rice has a distinct mild char flavour. That’s the real deal! So don’t stress if you get burnt bits!
This recipe that I’m sharing with you today is how I make it as a usual midweek meal, hence why it has bacon in it rather than Chinese sausage. I swap out the prawns for whatever other proteins I have on hand, or leave it out. I’ve also been known to increase the veggies in this – and for a super speedy version, to even use frozen diced veggies. If you substantially increase the veggies, reduce the quantity of rice, otherwise there won’t be enough sauce.
Really, other than the rice, the cooking technique and the sauce, feel free to substitute the other ingredients for whatever you want. That’s the beauty of fried rice – it’s so flexible! – Nagi x
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Chinese Fried Rice with Shrimp / Prawns
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable), separated
- 2 eggs , lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup bacon , excess fat trimmed, chopped (or 1/2 cup Chinese Sausage) (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 tsp ginger , minced or very finely chopped
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped (about 3/4 cup) (brown, white or yellow)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (or sake, Japanese cooking wine) (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 5 oz/150g small shrimp/prawns , cooked and peeled (Note 3)
- 3 cups cooked long grain white rice , refrigerated overnight (Note 4)
- 3 scallions , thinly sliced
Sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light) (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (roasted - i.e. dark colour)
Instructions
- Mix together Sauce ingredients, set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok (or heavy based skillet/fry pan) over medium heat. Add eggs and cook until scrambled, then remove onto plate.
- Increase heat to high and add bacon. Cook until golden, then remove onto plate with egg - about 2 minutes.
- Drain off excess bacon fat.
- Add remaining 2 tbsp oil, garlic and ginger. (Note 5) Return wok to stove on high heat. Stir fry as it comes up to heat, don’t let it burn. When garlic starts to sizzle, add onion and stir fry for 2 minutes until golden.
- Add Chinese wine and sugar and let it simmer rapidly, stirring, for 20 seconds, until mostly evaporated.
- Add prawns/shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute to heat through (if pre-cooked, cook longer to cook if raw).
- Add rice, Sauce, eggs, bacon and all but 2 tbsp of shallots/scallions. Stir fry for 2 minutes until rice is hot - around 2 minutes.
- Transfer to serving plate, sprinkle with remaining scallions and serve.
Recipe Notes:
ii) Her original recipe uses Chinese Sausage and she recommends bacon as a substitute and that's what I usually use, though Chinese Sausage is available in vacuum sealed packets in Asian section of large supermarkets.
ii) I added prawns. 7. This makes enough for 3 as a main or 5 as a side as part of a multi-course meal. 8. Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings as a main. Assuming 5 servings as a side: 313 calories.
Nutrition Information:
Lucky 8: Eight more Chinese takeout favourites
Life of Dozer
Just another day in the Hard Life of Dozer – starting with breakfast at The Boathouse in Palm Beach, Sydney. For visitors to Australia, this is a MUST VISIT!!
You had me @ bacon…
Also…. can’t wait to try your sauce… mine always seems to be lacking something.. If it flavors rice as well as “Charlie” flavors my stir fry dishes, I will be hooked…again…
Thank you… :O)
P.S. I put the “commandments” into a separate file, in my recipetineats folder.. (I’m old and I forget things now and then) ;O)
BA HA HA! You make me LAUGH Ross!!!
Hi Nagi, definitely with you on the char – gives such a great flavor! Didn’t know using wine was key, so will have to try it.
Promise it makes a difference 🙂 It’s just that little something-something that really makes it taste like what you get from restaurants!
Short ingredient list. I think I need to rename my Fried Rice recipe. I just wanted to mention, however, that while nut or plant oils are healthier (I usually cook with grapeseed or roasted hazelnut oil), every now and again, one has to do something that is bad for the body but good for the soul. Try making your fried rice using the bacon fat. It makes the charred, smoky taste awesome! By the way, Dozer of gorgeous. He needs to show his paw a bit more often in his supervisory capacity. 🙂
Gasp! Bacon fat….mmmmm……. PS Dozer’s supervising skills are non existent!!!! 😉
Thank you for the 8 Commandments for fried rice!!! I have made fried rice a few times, but never liked it, I now know I violated at least 3 commandments. I know that this will make a great fried rice, but more than that, you helped me with my other recipes. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Dave.
BA HA HA!!! You make me laugh Dave! 🙂 I do hope you enjoy it if you try this recipe, and I’m glad you are enjoying my other recipes too! N x
You hit another one out of the ball park!! My hubby was in the military stationed in Okinawa and he loves fried rice. I don’t know if it is different than yours — I’ll have to surprise him with your recipe and sees what he thinks 🙂 Have a great week!!
In Okinawa in Japan?? Wow! I haven’t even been there, how cool!!
Step 6 says “add Chinese wine and sugar,” but I only see sugar mentioned in the sauce ingredients. Am I missing something? Also, I don’t have a wok. Can a regular frying pan be used?
Hi Lisa! Sorry, I had it listed under Sauce accidentally 🙂 Actually it doesn’t matter too much either way, but I’ve corrected it. Thanks for picking that up, I really appreciate it! And YES it can be made in a frying pan, I’ve added that point to the recipe too! Nx
Nope, not at all jealous of you sitting out there over a coffee and a bacon sarnie ‘working’ (Haha! Sunbathing, more like!)
But other than suppressing my envy right now, I am loving this post. Many fried rice recipes I’ve seen sound like the finished rice would lack taste, but I love that you add plenty of tasty sauce. Mmm… giving this one a go!
You’re only a year away from doing it yourself, right…..?? Back at “home” here in OZ!!! <3
Has there ever been a more comforting food than a nice bowl of just about any kind of good fried rice? Love this version. Very appealing. And I love Dozer.
I love Dozer too….?
Thank you Vicki for ‘reminding’ me about Dozer . . . I pushed my ‘go’ button before brain was in gear . . . .
Ba ha ha!!! Dozer is becoming a regular fixture around here…. 😉
Hi Nagi! Who knew…I have been making Chinese fried rice for years! I call it bacon fried rice and I always make it to go with my grapefruit curried ribs. Next time I’m adding shrimp! Hope you are having a wonderful time! 🙂
BEST TIME EVER!!! Love the US! 🙂 Oooh, grapefruit curried ribs?? Sounds interesting!!
YUM!!!! This looks so delicious. And I love your commandments 😉 Especially 8. Love that charred flavour!
I always add some oyster sauce to my fried rice as without it I thought it lacked flavour. Who knew I was on the right track for actual real chinese fried rice!!!!
Will be making this very soon, as I ALWAYS have left over rice. I seem to be incapable of cooking a small amount. Even when I measure it I seem to end up with leftovers. I have plenty of zippy bags in the freezer full of cooked rice 😉
Where I used to live there was a take away and they had mushrooms in their fried rice, was the first time I had seen it, but they were quite delicious in there. Wonder if that is a regional variation?
I don’t think there are any rules when it comes to what should go into fried rice!! 🙂