Fried Rice That’s Everything Nice
Make this fried rice for lunch, or add some stir-fried chicken chunks and serve it as a comforting, one-dish dinner. Kids love this. So do adults.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- 2 cups Persian (long grain) rice
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- 9 green onions, washed well, ends removed, and sliced thinly
- 9 eggs
- 4 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks, optional
Instructions
For the Rice
- Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a medium saucepan, add the rice, and stir over low heat for two minutes.
- Add four cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat down to very low. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Gently turn the rice onto two baking sheets. Spread the rice out on the baking sheets as carefully as possible so as not to break the grains. Set the pans of rice under a fan, and allow them to rest undisturbed for two hours.
For the Fried Rice
- Place the frozen peas in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Set up your mise en place on the workspace closest to your stove:
- First, place the open bottle of oil on your workspace—careful not to knock it over.
- Divide rice into three bowls (I actually prefer to divide the rice into baggies, to cut down on dishes) and line them up front to back on the workspace closest to your stove.
- Divide sliced green onions into three cups (I like to use disposable for easy cleanup) and line them up next to the portions of rice.
- In each of three small dishes, measure out ¼ teaspoon salt. Line them up alongside the green onion portions.
- Place the eggs in a mixing bowl, and mix the eggs as for scrambledeggs. Trick: I like to stab each yolk with my fork before beginning to mix.This prevents the eggs from chasing each other around the bowl instead of gettingfrothed with your fork. Divide the beaten eggs into three disposable cups. Linethem up next to the dishes of salt.
- Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of soy sauce into three small dishes or shot glasses. Line them up next to the beaten eggs.
- Place the bowl with the reserved peas near your cooking area. You’ll want to pour the ready hot fried rice into this bowl, right on top of the peas.
- Pour 3 tablespoons of oil (you can guesstimate the amount) into the hot wok or skillet. Add one portion of the rice and fry until beginning to turn golden.
- Add one portion of the sliced green onions and one portion of salt to the rice. Mix until combined.
- Push the rice to the sides, and add to the well one portion of the beaten egg. Scramble the eggs inside the well, and just before the eggs are set, mix gently with the rice mixture.
- Pour from a spoon around the edges of the skillet, the soy sauce. Mix swiftly and gently to combine with the rice mixture.
- Add fried rice to peas and stir gently to combine.
- Repeat twice with the remaining ingredients in your mise en place.
For the (Optional) Chicken
- To add the optional chicken chunks, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add the chicken chunks, and cook, stirring, until cooked through, around 4-6 minutes, or until no longer pink in center. Add cooked chicken to fried rice and stir gently to combine.