Asian Fried Rice

Toasted or untoasted?

Some of the nasty toasted oil has someone's lost UOA motor oil mixed in. I swear. Ughh

A good Japanese lightly toasted or better - untoasted sesame oil is best.

Kadoya. It’s supposed the good stuff but I just can’t take the smell. I can pop sesame seed in my mouth just fine.
 
Yes, after cooking. I remember one Chinese place would serve an $8 dinner bowl. 4 cups of chicken fried rice with eggs. That stuff was so loaded with MSG that my sinuses shut down and I had an off taste in my mouth even the next day. I haven't touched fried rice in many years.

I like sesame oil but fried rice is usually made with soybean oil.

Doesn't have to be. Any neutral cooking oil will do, and peanut, canola, cottonseed, or safflower oils are pretty common in Asian cooking. I know someone who has no issue using neutral ("extra light") olive oil.
 
Doesn't have to be.
I didn't say it did have the be. I'd use clarified butter if I were to make fried rice.
Any neutral cooking oil will do, and peanut, canola, cottonseed, or safflower oils are pretty common in Asian cooking. I know someone who has no issue using neutral ("extra light") olive oil.
Most people, especially those who run take-out dives, are frightfully cheap and will use the cheap oil like soybean, canola, or corn oil or some horrible blend.
 
What about dirty fried rice? The fusion of Chinese and Cajun food seems a bit scary to me. Can you possibly know what's in your food? ;)
 
I didn't say it did have the be. I'd use clarified butter if I were to make fried rice.

Most people, especially those who run take-out dives, are frightfully cheap and will use the cheap oil like soybean, canola, or corn oil or some horrible blend.

For the most part it doesn't matter what's used, but the general idea is that the oil can be next to flavorless since it will likely be loaded with soy sauce, salt, etc. I've tried butter in fried rice, but my Chinese friends would think it's odd.

Deep frying is another matter, but even a oil that burns easily should be fine for fried rice.
 
For the most part it doesn't matter what's used
Well, fried rice is so unhealthy you could be right.

For the most part it doesn't matter what's used, but the general idea is that the oil can be next to flavorless since it will likely be loaded with soy sauce, salt, etc. I've tried butter in fried rice, but my Chinese friends would think it's odd.
I think it's more about what is usually used than what can be used.

Deep frying is another matter, but even a oil that burns easily should be fine for fried rice.
It's fine if you don't care about the oxidation of oil and the creation of free radicals due to heat.

Enjoy your fried rice any which way you like!
 
I didn't say it did have the be. I'd use clarified butter if I were to make fried rice.

Most people, especially those who run take-out dives, are frightfully cheap and will use the cheap oil like soybean, canola, or corn oil or some horrible blend.
Uh, I think you can expand that to probably 99% of restaurants.
 
My mother's version -Take left over rice from dinner, bag it and throw it in the freezer until use (like a few days). When enough is accumulated, make fried rice. Note: This is Nishiki/Kokuho Rose rice made in a rice cooker. Can't guarantee results using rice from a box.
  1. Take the rice out of the freezer - do not thaw or the finished fried rice will be mushy.
  2. Take 4-5 slices of bacon an slice it into 1" pieces.
  3. Chop green onion and celery.
  4. Fry the bacon until close to done (drain excess fat)
  5. Add the onion and celery
  6. When the above is done to your preference, add the rice and stir until heated.
  7. Flavor with Kikoman soy sauce to taste.
  8. Serve.
Goes well with fried bologna or Spam for lunch.
 
Enjoy your fried rice any which way you like!
To be fair, the "traditional" style of fried rice is cooked with a wok. Certain types of oil are not suitable for wok cooking; IMO, peanut is the preferred option, but too pricey for the razor-thin restaurant margins these days. Most use vegetable or canola.

A healthy quantity of MSG is needed for most Chinese cuisine, IMO.
 
To be fair, the "traditional" style of fried rice is cooked with a wok. Certain types of oil are not suitable for wok cooking; IMO, peanut is the preferred option, but too pricey for the razor-thin restaurant margins these days. Most use vegetable or canola.

A healthy quantity of MSG is needed for most Chinese cuisine, IMO.
You need to discuss this with AM.
 
Not an expert at all in fried rice making, but I'd say I have eaten enough of it to know what is good and what is not.

In general, regardless of how you cook your rice, it needs to have less water content than white or brown rice in asian food. Some people like to make fresh batch with like 1:0.9 rice to water ratio to keep it dryer, others just use normal 1:1 ratio then refrigerate it overnight. Some people like to use long grain rice like jasmin, others like to use short grain rice like Japanese or medium grain. There's even the sticky rice version of it for winter solstice, so whatever you like best (I'm a Jasmin fried rice kind of person).

Ingredients should be dry, and precooked (except for eggs, some would mix in later but some would fry them first as well) so it doesn't release water, and cool down the rice while you cook. The techniques all require you to sear the rice so it caramelize the rice to release the aroma (aka wok hei). You can use a frying pan or cast iron pan, or a wok, but don't over crowd it and make sure you sear but not burn the rice. Only after you get it to smell like fried plain rice then you add your other ingredients, and if you prefer to add eggs last, add them last.

Some use butter (hibachi), some don't, some use soy sauce, some don't, you have to see what you like to add and just do your thing.

You don't need a lot of oil, for a skilled chef probably 2 tbsp only for a whole plate of it. It shouldn't be wet with oil when it is done and the frying pan / wok should just be glossy instead of full of oil.
 
I like to make fried rice with more sauce and vegetables than is traditional. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, Thai fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, Hoisin sauce, black bean sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, peanut butter, and probably more that I forget in various combinations and amounts.

Not all at the same time, I should mention.
 
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I just tried making fried rice on a wok, it's 1000% easier and cleaner than any other pan. I wish I bought a wok years ago.

I forgot to get green onions - imo the dish really needs it for taste and smell.

Also, use less soy sauce, taste, and add more if needed. I used 3 tablespoons for 3 cups of rice and it came out too salty.
 
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