EASY 20-Minute Fried Rice Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

FAQs

How to make fried rice without it being a day-old? ›

To get that perfect day-old rice without waiting 24 hours, the process is actually fairly simple. Just rinse and drain fresh, raw rice and sauté in oil. Add a little less water than you normally would to the pan, and bring to the boil before covering and simmering.

You can also use day-old brown rice, however it will create a less-authentic taste and texture, even though it's still delicious. Sesame oil. I do not recommend omitting or substituting the sesame oil in this recipe. It is key to the authentic flavor of this dish.

Use a fork to fluff the rice grains and transfer to a large baking tray. Place the rice, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best though) before using for fried rice.

Fried rice syndrome is food poisoning caused by a bacterium known as Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). This microscopic germ likes to live on starchy foods like rice and pasta, but it can set up shop on nearly any food. All this bacterium needs is the right combination of time and improper temperature.

- Freshly cooked rice is hot, steamy, very moist and a little sticky ? this will make your fried rice clumpy and soggy. - Day-old rice is dryer and will give your fried rice a good texture and will bring out the individual flavours of the other ingredients.

Signature flavor

To give your dish that signature fried rice taste, you'll need to drizzle in sesame oil and soy sauce, but feel free to use as much or as little as you wish. You can even mix in things like garlic powder, ginger root, or Sriracha sauce and chili pepper for a bit of a kick.

Its mild flavor and high smoke point make it ideal for cooking dishes like fried rice, noodles, stir-fries, and chicken. Substitutes for regular sesame oil include olive, grapeseed, walnut, avocado, and peanut oils.

Up the flavor of your pot of instant rice by swapping out water for full-flavored broth. Use bone broth or stock in the same proportion, or quickly mix some miso with water for a nice umami-base that will infuse your instant rice. Bouillon works too!

How do I make rice taste like a restaurant? ›

Use Stock Instead of Water

“Instead of water, use either vegetable or chicken stock. Homemade is ideal, but plenty of premade boxed stocks exist for convenience. Add stock to the hot pan with vegetables and toasted rice.” He explains that toasting the rice first adds a layer of nutty flavor and creates more depth.

Long grain rice has less starch which makes it the perfect choice for fried rice. Using a long grain rice like jasmine rice will result is soft and fluffy rice every time! Other rice varieties like short grain sushi rice would not work for fried rice. It would make the fried rice clumpy and almost gummy in texture.

Using a small pan or the wrong pan can lead to overcrowding and uneven cooking, contributing to a mushy texture. Additionally, cooking rice at a consistent medium heat and using the right oil can help maintain the desired texture​​.

Fresh-cooked: So long as you spread the rice out on a plate or tray while it's still hot and give it a few minutes to allow some surface moisture to evaporate, you can make excellent fried rice with fresh rice. Day-old rice: Day-old rice tends to clump, so you'll need to break it up by hand before stir-frying.

Storing Cooked Rice In The Refrigerator

Transfer the cooled, cooked rice into an airtight storage container or a zippered plastic storage bag (remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing), then store in the refrigerator.

If not eaten immediately, cooled cooked rice should be stored in a shallow container, covered tightly and refrigerated. Rice can be refrigerated for 3 to 5 days or frozen for up to six months. Cooked rice that has been properly cooled and refrigerated or frozen may be reheated.

Spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray so it cools rapidly. Then, when cold, put into a container, cover and chill in the fridge. Keep the rice for no more than a day before reheating it – and then only reheat it once. Whichever reheating method you use, make sure the rice is piping hot before serving.

If it will be more than 12 hours, I put the rice in a tupperware and stored it in the refrigerator. If it is less, I just leave it in the cooker overnight (with the switch off) and fried it the next morning*. Note: I always check that they have not gone bad before cooking.