Chicken Fried Rice
If you want to amp up your cooking with some umami goodness this is the perfect Chicken Fried Rice recipe for your. Filling, tasty and great to serve in small bowls.
Did you know that Yangzhou fried rice is one of China’s most iconic dishes?
Every cuisine has its signature rice dish, the Indian cuisine has pulao, pilaf and biryani, the Chinese have fried rice, the Spanish have Paella (pronounced pay-ey-uh), the risotto for the Italians, Nasi Goreng for the Indonesians, Nasi Lemak for the Malay people etc.,
It is believed that fried rice originated in the Chinese culture and since then, the popularity of the dish has expanded to other cuisines such as Indian, American, Cuban, Indonesian etc., Within China itself there are several varieties of fried rice however the fried rice that carries a particularly exquisite quality of fine dining is the Yangzhou fried rice. This rice uses the highest quality long-grain rice, complemented with no less than eight other ingredients, with fresh eggs as the main ingredient, soaked sea cucumbers, Chinese cured ham, batter-coated prawns, fresh bamboo shoots and green peas. This Chinese iconic fried rice is presented in an array of subtle and vibrant colours thus bringing fresh and salty flavours on the plate. Moreover, this fried rice does not require the accompaniment of any sauces to enhance its colour and flavour because this fried rice carries with it a rich and historically refined process of preparation techniques.
While I was doing some research, I discovered that during a visit to China in 2014, Michelle Obama specially requested Yangzhou fried rice as the main dish for an official banquet held in her honour. It's true that Donald Trump chose Yangzhou fried rice for the Trump-Kim meeting. Yangzhou fried rice was also one of the favourite dishes of the officials attending the Beijing APEC summit in 2014.
Sorry guys, I am not preparing the Yangzhou Fried Rice!! It is possible I have tasted this fried rice on one of my trips to Asia but I would not remember for a fact. It is on the cards to taste this exquisite fried rice in the city of Yangzhou the next time I plan a visit to that city. If I get to taste it, I might give it a try and come up with my own version of this fried rice.
The fried rice I am preparing today is far from that traditional fried rice that originated in the city of Yangzhou, but it is my version of a simple yet tasty chicken fried rice. It is home cooking at its best. It tastes like restaurant fried rice, and it is a real family meal.
The key to making this fried rice is to first have all the ingredients on the kitchen bench ready to go before you start cooking and don't forget your wok!
Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken thigh fillets diced
- ½ cup oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 200 g carrots or mixed vegetables diced
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic
- 2 tsp. dried Bonito fish shavings
- 2 tsp. chicken stock powder
- 3 eggs
- 800g cooked jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp. salt or to taste
- 3 tbsp. spring onions and 3 tbsp. for garnish
- 2-3 tbsp. soy sauce or as per taste
- 1 tsp. sesame oil.
For the Marinade
- 2 tbsp. white sugar
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. Shaoxine Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Combine chicken with the marinade, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a wok on high heat or until you see the surface shimmering. Add chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside along with the stock.
- Add the rest of the oil to the hot wok and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and fry for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the diced vegetables and garlic and stir fry for 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp. dried Bonito fish shavings or Katsuobushi (see Notes below) and chicken stock powder and stir to combine. Move the vegetables to one side of the wok.
- Add eggs one by one, cook for one minute to firm up and scramble. You may add a dash of oil if the eggs stick to the wok. Combine eggs with the vegetables.
- Add half the rice and and half the stock from the chicken. Break all the lumps whilst tossing with vegetables. Move the rice and the vegetables to one side of the wok. Add rest of the rice. Break all lumps and then combine with the rest of the rice in the wok. Add butter, pepper and salt. Stir to combine with the rice. Add the rest of the dried Bonito fish shavings and the spring onions and stir well. Add the chicken along with the remaining stock and stir quickly to combine.
- Lastly add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir again to combine. Season to taste if required.
- Serve immediately garnished with the reserved spring onions.
Notes
- You may use any type of rice for this recipe, but I usually use any leftover Jasmine rice from the refrigerator.
- This fried rice is delicious even without the addition of dried Bonito shavings, however adding the dried Bonito shavings gives it a beautiful savoury flavour.
- Bonito is a kind of tuna, and Katsuobushi (Japanese) is dried, smoked bonito fish. Katsuobushi is usually sold as flakes or shavings in a package in the Asian grocery stores in their Japanese section. Katsuobushi has a smoky savoury taste (umami) that is a great accent for fried rice, vegetables and many Japanese dishes.
- The stock from the chicken makes this a tasty fried rice. Do not panic if the rice seems a bit soggy, as the stock will be absorbed by the rice when the rice is cooling. Alternatively, you may use only part of the stock if you prefer or some may prefer not to add the stock at all.
- You may add some chilli flakes if you like a chilli hit.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
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