Chinese Style Fried Rice

Dinner | Chinese

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 10 min Servings: 4

This is a Chinese style takeaway fried rice, like the one I had growing up when we got our local Chinese for dinner. It’s such a classic dish that uses common ingredients and veg you’ll have in the fridge, even those frozen peas that have been sitting in your freezer for way too long.

The two things that make this recipe work are a really hot wok and rice that has been cooked and cooled the day before. Fresh rice holds too much moisture and goes gluey when you fry it. Day-old rice is drier and firmer, which gives you that light, separate texture you get from a good Chinese takeaway. Once you have that sorted, the whole dish comes together in about ten minutes.

Everything else is flexible. I have used ham, carrot, corn, and frozen peas, but this works really well as a fridge cleaner. Whatever vegetables you have on hand will work, and you can swap the ham for cooked chicken, prawns, or tofu without any issues.

Ingredient Notes

Rice: Day-old rice is really important here, and it is worth planning ahead for. When rice cooks it absorbs a lot of water, and if you fry it straight away that moisture turns to steam in the wok, making the rice clump together and go soft. Leaving it in the fridge overnight lets it dry out and firm up so each grain stays separate when it hits the hot pan. If you are making this last minute, cook your rice, spread it out flat on a tray, and leave it to cool completely before you start frying.

Light and dark soy sauce: You need both and they each do a different job. Light soy sauce is saltier and adds the base seasoning. Dark soy sauce is thicker, a little sweeter, and gives the rice that deep brown colour you see in a Chinese takeaway. If you only use one, the rice will either taste right but look pale, or look right but taste a bit flat. Use both for the best result.

MSG: MSG is a flavour enhancer that is used in most restaurant kitchens, Chinese ones included. It gives food that extra savouriness that is hard to describe but easy to taste. I use it in this recipe because it genuinely makes a difference, but it is completely optional. If you leave it out, just add a small extra pinch of salt to compensate.

Ham: Any cooked ham from the deli will work here. You can also use cooked chicken, prawns, Chinese sausage, or diced firm tofu if you want to go vegetarian. Leftover roast meat is also a great option and a good way to use up what is in the fridge.

Veg: In this recipe I'm using fresh carrot and corn, and then frozen peas. However, you can use all frozen veg if that’s what you have, it will still be delicious. You can also use other vege like capsicum, green beans, baby corn, zucchini, broccolini. You make sure you cut it small enough to cook quickly in the wok.

Eggs: Beaten eggs are cooked separately and added back at the end, which keeps them light and fluffy rather than rubbery. Do not rush this step by scrambling them straight away. Let them start to set in the pan first, then gently move them around. Pull them out when they are just cooked through and set them aside until the rice is ready.

Equipment you'll need:

Wok or large frying pan: A wok is the best tool for this because its shape lets you toss everything around easily and the high sides stop food going everywhere. If you do not have one, a large heavy frying pan will do the job, just make sure it is properly hot before you add anything.
Sharp knife and chopping board
Small bowls
Wok spatula or tongs

Ingredients

3 tbsp neutral-flavoured oil
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup corn kernels (off the cob)
3 spring onions, sliced thinly, whites and greens kept separate
1 carrot, finely diced
200g ham, diced (approximately 7 oz)
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups cooked jasmine rice, completely cooled in the fridge overnight
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp MSG

Directions

Dice the ham, finely dice the carrot, then remove the corn kernels from the cob with a sharp knife. Thinly slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separated.
Place a wok over high heat and add 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the carrot and corn and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.
Add the spring onion whites, peas and ham. Toss well to combine, then spread out evenly across the wok and cook for 1-2 minutes, without tossing, to get some caramelisation on the base (trying to build a bit of wok hei from high-heat wok-frying).
Toss the vegetables, then cook again for a further 1 minute. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and return the wok to the heat.
Add some more oil, then once it is smoking add the beaten eggs and stir-fry until they are 80% cooked. Remove the eggs from the wok and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the wok and the then add the rice and toss for 1 minute.
Add the soy sauces, sugar, salt, and MSG. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the rice is nicely broken up.
Return the vegetables and egg to the pan along with the green of the spring onions, reserving some for garnish. Toss well to mix through the rice and cook for 1 minute until everything is heated through.
Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining spring onions.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Don’t move the eggs too soon

Let the beaten eggs start to set in the wok before you move them around, as this stops them sticking and gives you better, fluffier pieces. Pull them out at about 80% cooked; they’ll finish when added back at the end.

High heat is everything

Fried rice needs a screaming hot wok to develop that slightly smoky, caramelised flavour known as wok hei. If your pan isn’t hot enough, the ingredients will steam instead of fry. Let the wok get smoking hot before adding any oil.

Prep everything before you start

This dish moves fast, so have every ingredient chopped, measured, and ready before you turn on the heat. There’s no time to scramble for things once you’re cooking.

Sauce around the outside

When adding the soy sauces to your work, pour it around the edge of the wok rather than in the centre. This allows it to distribute evenly as gravity will naturally pull it into the centre.

Taste and adjust at the end

Soy sauce saltiness varies by brand, and your ham may add more salt too. Taste the rice just before serving and adjust with a splash more soy or a pinch of salt if needed.

How to toss in the wok

If you are cooking on a proper wok burner with a high flame, you can toss the ingredients by flicking your wrist to roll everything up and over the sides of the wok. If you are on a regular home stovetop, just use a wooden spoon to keep everything moving instead and try not to lift the wok completely off the heat for too long. The moment it leaves the burner it starts losing temperature quickly, and fried rice needs that consistent high heat the whole way through.

FAQs

Can I use freshly cooked rice? You can, but it’s not ideal. Fresh rice holds too much moisture and tends to clump together. If you must use it, spread it on a tray and cool it completely before frying. Even a couple of hours makes a big difference.

What can I substitute for ham? Cooked chicken, prawns, Chinese sausage (lap cheong), or diced firm tofu all work well. Leftover roast meat is also great here.

Can I make this vegetarian? Yes, just swap the ham for diced firm tofu or extra vegetables. Most soy sauces are plant-based, but check the label if you need to be sure.

What if I don’t have a wok? A large heavy frying pan or skillet works well. Use the highest heat your stovetop will give and don’t overcrowd the pan, so cook in batches if needed to keep the heat up.

Do I have to use MSG? No, it’s completely optional. MSG is a flavour enhancer. If you’d prefer to leave it out, add a small pinch of extra salt or a few drops of fish sauce to get a similar depth.

Can I use other vegetables? Absolutely. Capsicum, green beans, baby corn, zucchini, broccolini. Almost anything works, as long as you cut it small enough to cook quickly in the wok.