Which do you choose: Rice or fried rice? No contest, right? Still,
for as many times and you've eaten it, there are still things you likely don't know about
it. Where and when did it originate? How do you make the best? Keep watching.
Today, fried rice is often consumed as a meal in its own right. However,
fried rice was originally invented as a way of using up leftover rice. In China,
where fresh, fluffy, white rice is preferred, fried rice is a matter of
convenience and economical meal planning. It was also a way for low-income families
to consume rice and vegetables that may be past their prime and to save money in the process.
There is no better way to use up small amounts of meat, vegetables, and leftover rice:
Simply fry them all together in a wok, add soy sauce, and you've got fried rice!
These days, creative recipes even call for adding other items to fried rice.
The chance to get creative and minimize waste? It's a win-win.
"Happy, happy, happy, happy!"
The origins of fried rice can be hazy, but most historians agree that they date back to the Sui
dynasty. The dish was most likely created in Yangzhou sometime between 589 and 618 C.E.
The fact that fried rice arose in the Southern parts of China
is perhaps no surprise since residents of southern China are traditionally
particularly avid consumers of rice. Therefore, it makes sense that locals
in South China came up with innovative ways to use and consume fried rice.
China Today notes that the golden fried rice of the Sui Dynasty was evenly coated in eggs and
recommends doing the same in modern-day recipes of fried rice, along with the addition of key
ingredients such as ham, chicken, mushroom, scallop, sea cucumber, and bamboo shoots.
The result is a beautiful fried rice dish with eggy goodness in each and every bite.
According to The Daily China, the stir-frying technique used to make fried rice only grew in
popularity in the late Ming dynasty, which means somewhere between 1368 and 1644 C.E.
Fried rice's popularity in the U.S. can largely be attributed to the influx of
Chinese immigrants during and following the Gold Rush in the 19th century. During this time,
Chinese workers in America were generally employed in low-income sectors such as
agriculture, factory work, mining, and railroad construction.
Many people in these immigrant communities
would often prepare the comfort food dishes that reminded them of home.
Fried rice was just one economical meal that people in Chinese communities cooked and ate.
That said, it's important to remember this when you're making your own:
It can be tempting to overload your fried rice with extra ingredients and seasonings,
but as the name of the dish suggests, the rice should really be the focal point of
any fried rice recipe. When it comes to fried rice, less is more. The soy sauce
should be added in minimal quantities that are just enough to give a tawny color to the rice.
According to TIME, Chinese restaurants started to open and quickly grew to be
quite popular. They served dishes that we now associate with American Chinese cuisine,
such as chop suey, which translates to "odds & ends." Indeed, chop suey is yet
another dish made from leftovers that has conquered hearts and stomachs alike!
"Please, sir, I want some more."
There is one key secret to the success of fried rice: Leftover rice is actually
the best base for cooking up this tasty dish, much more so than fresh rice. Indeed, fluffy,
steamy rice just won't do if you're looking for the perfect fried rice texture. It all
comes down to keeping the moisture out of the dish. Simply put, cold rice that has been
refrigerated overnight is the best since it's less likely to go mushy when you're stir-frying it.
Day-old rice can be used, although rice that was cooked two to three days ago is ideal.
If you don't have leftover rice, don't worry! Just because you don't have any cooked rice
hanging around in the fridge, that doesn't mean you have to skip fried rice. You can
cook up some rice the morning of the day you plan to serve fried rice for dinner. The trick?
Spread it out on a baking sheet to dry before cooking it into fried rice.
Since rice is the focal point of fried rice, the kind of rice used is paramount
to the recipe's success. Most fried rice recipes begin with medium- or long-grain jasmine rice,
although a few exceptions, such as the Japanese iteration of fried rice,
rely on short-grain rice. Why is jasmine rice so popular? The longer
grains of jasmine rice are sturdier and thus hold up better when fried.
Jasmine rice is native to Southeast Asia, and it gets its fragrance from the presence of a compound
called 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, which is also found in white bread. The compound bestows
a popcorn-like aroma to the rice, which tends to taste buttery. That being said,
since fried rice is all about invention and leftovers, any rice will do. You can
even stir-fry brown rice for a delicious dish that has a bit of nuttiness to it.
"White rice. Brown rice. Those are just some of the rices I love."
The pan that is used to cook fried rice is just as important as the rice and the
ingredients that are being used. A wok is essential for success as it reheats quickly
after the addition of new ingredients, especially
over high heat — and that's a characteristic that's non-negotiable for making fried rice.
The use of a wok and the specific technique of wok tossing has actually been scientifically proven
to make the perfect batch of fried rice. A study in the Journal of the Royal Society
found that wok tossing allowed for super high heat — we're talking about more than
2000 degrees Fahrenheit — to be applied to food without burning it.
The study even defined an optimal process for wok tossing and making fried rice. This
process is oriented towards improving techniques and reducing the likelihood
of sustained injuries for professional chefs who are working with woks on a regular basis.
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