Chinese Egg Fried Rice

 Chinese Egg Fried Rice – with peas, ham and spring onion.  The perfect accompaniment to all your Chinese dishes.

My first ever Chinese meal

The first time I went to a Chinese restaurant was when I was working in Johannesburg, back in the 1970s.  I worked in an office with 3 other ladies whose payday treat was to take themselves off to a nearby Chinese restaurant for lunch.  They invited me to go with them and from the first bite I was hooked.   They ordered a set menu, and there were about 4 different courses.  What blew my mind was that there was a full bowl of Chinese egg fried rice in the centre of the table, which was removed and replaced with each course.

I remember the meal as though it were yesterday.  We had a starter of Egg Drop Soup.  This was followed by crispy batter-encased deep-fried prawns in sweet and sour sauce followed by juicy chicken chunks served with cashew nuts.  Then another sweet and sour dish, this time succulent deep-fried pork.  It was all followed by what they described as the star of the show – Bow Ties.  Crispy golden pastry covered in a delicious honey sauce.  I rolled back to the office in a food-induced coma.  From then on, payday couldn’t come soon enough.

My first attempt at Chinese Egg Fried Rice

Over the years I’ve eaten many Chinese meals in many different restaurants, but that first introduction has stuck in my mind, especially the egg fried rice.  I tried to make it at home and it was an epic disaster.  Back in the 1970s there was no internet to look up recipes, and Chinese restaurants were only just making their appearance on the Johannesburg culinary scene.  It was all trial and error.  For my first attempt I simply cracked an egg on top of a bowl of hot rice and watched in dismay as it all coagulated into a gloopy mess.

Since those early days things have improved somewhat, and I think I have finally perfected the art of making egg fried rice.  Well, to my taste at least.  I’m sure there are 100s of different ways of making it, but this is my version.

Ingredients for Chinese Egg Fried Rice

Whenever I read a recipe I like to have a look at the ingredients to see whether I have everything I need. To make it easy for you – I’ve listed the ingredients below. You can get the full list of ingredients and quantities in the printable recipe card further down in the post.

• Cooked Rice – Basmati or any long grain rice is fine. You can cook the rice from fresh, or use leftovers. At a pinch, you could even use a packet of store-bought pre-cooked rice.
• Egg – lightly beaten
• Frozen Peas – these provide little pops of colour and sweetness. I prefer petis pois but you could use any frozen peas. Don’t use tinned peas. Their texture will be too soft, and they will be inclined to break up as you stir the rice.
• Ham – adds a nice texture. I just use pre-sliced sandwich ham.
• Spring Onions – because they add flavour

This recipe is sufficient for about 2.5 cups of cooked rice.  I have used Basmati long-grained rice for this recipe. You can use my recipes for Microwave Rice or Oven-Baked Rice, to ensure that all the grains are separate.

How to make the perfect Chinese Egg Fried Rice

Cook the rice

You will need approximately 2 1/2 cups cooked rice which is about the equivalent of 1 cup raw rice.

I like to use Basmati, but you can use any long-grained rice. Don’t use shortgrain or pudding rice as this tends to clump together. You want all the grains to be separate.

You can follow my recipe for Microwave Rice or Oven-Baked Rice, to ensure that all the grains remain separate. Or you can follow the manufaturer’s instructions on the packet.

Once cooked, allow the rice to cool.

Add the egg

Beat up one large egg in a cup, and pour it into a non-stick wok.  I like to cook the egg first, because then it is properly set, and there is no danger of raw egg clumping with the rice and turning it into a gloopy mess.

Don’t add any oil.  If your wok is non-stick, you won’t need oil. Just keep stirring the whole time you are cooking it.

Let the egg cook gently breaking it up with a spatula until it is well set and dry.  Add 2 and 1/2 cups cooked, cooled rice (see above for instructions) and stir well to combine.

Add remaining ingredients

Chop the ham slices into 1cm squares and slice the spring onion finely

Now mix in the peas, ham and spring onions.  Leave the pan over a very low heat, stirring all the while, until heated through.

Serve

Tip into a serving bowl, garnish with a few more chopped spring onions, and you are ready to serve it with your favourite Chinese dish.

And there you have it! Quick and easy Chinese Egg Fried Rice in only 3 steps.

Equipment

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You probably have all of this equipment in your kitchen already. In case you are missing something, I’ve included some handy links to items on Amazon that you may find useful.

• Wok – for stirfrying the rice
• Glass bowl with lid – if you want to cook your rice in the microwave
• Sharp knife – for chopping the ham
• Spatula – for stirring the rice as it fries

Can I freeze Chinese Egg Fried Rice?

You can freeze this dish for up to 6 months in a suitable container in the the freezer.   To serve, defrost and reheat in the microwave.

What can I serve with Chinese Egg Fried Rice?

Why not pair your Chinese egg fried rice with one of these dishes

• Roast Pork in Garlic Sauce – a quick and easy dish made with leftover roast pork
• Crispy Orange Chicken – juicy chicken thighs, coated with Panko breadcrumbs for crunch. Baked in the oven an smothered in a tangy orange sauce.
• Garlic Prawn Stirfry – serve this dish with the rice instead of noodles

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Recipe – Chinese Egg Fried Rice

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5 from 1 vote

Chinese Egg Fried Rice

Perfectly cooked rice, stir-fried with egg, peas, ham and spring oinion

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian Inspired

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 496kcal

Author: VJ

Ingredients

• 2½ cups Cooked Rice Approximately 1 cup raw rice
• 1 large Egg (lightly beaten)
• ½ cup Frozen Peas
• ½ cup Chopped Ham
• 2 large Spring Onions (finely chopped)

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package or you can follow the instructions for my Microwave Rice
• Allow the rice to cool
• Pour the beaten egg into a non-stick wok, and stir-fry stirring continuously until the egg is dry and in small pieces.
• Add the cooled rice to the egg in the wok and continue to stir-fry until well mixed
• Add the remainder of the ingredients and stir until well combined
• Leave on the heat and stir continuously until heated through
• Tip into a serving bowl and garnish with a few chopped spring onions

Notes

This recipe is suitable or Basmati or any other long-grained rice.

The egg must be cooked until it is completely dry and scrambled.

The rice should be cool before adding to the egg

Stir continuously while heating through to ensure the rice does not stick to the wok.

 

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only.  If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

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