Chinese Fried Rice - By: Jamie Hanson

I always look forward to my mom's cooking; to my delight, yesterday's lunch was Chinese fried rice. Over the years, my mum has mastered the art of cooking the most amazing fried rice in the world. I'm writing this article now to share with you her secrets and technique in cooking an absolutely heavenly plate of fried rice.
Chinese fried rice or "chow fun" is a simple and yet awesome one-dish meal that you can prepare for your family using leftover food in your fridge, very similar the Western version of casserole. You may use various kinds of ingredients for your fried rice recipe, namely pork, beef, chicken, scallops, broccoli, squid, bok choy, red bell pepper, broccoli, frozen peas, frozen carrots, long beans, red onion, eggs, cabbage, baby corn, and the list goes on and on. However, the three most vital ingredients you must have to produce a delicious plate of fried rice are rice of course, Chinese sausage and fish sauce.
The Rice
A day old rice is more ideal to use because the moisture is very low therefore is much easier to stir in the wok and will produce flaky and light fried rice with each individual grain covered with flavor. Freshly cooked rice is not a good idea for the use of this purpose for the reason the moisture remains and would render the fried rice soggy, clumpy and sticky, which are all a big no-no of a well cooked fried rice. I suggest you use premium quality rice for best result. When there's no remaining rice, you can make your less moistened rice by simply using a smaller amount of water than you usually would to cook the rice. After the rice is done, spread it on a baking sheet to let cool and to enable the moisture-carrying steam to escape so that the rice dries faster. If you are short of time, put it in the fridge or near open window to hasten the cooling cum drying rate.
The Fish Sauce
In addition to salt, you must not NOT use fish sauce too. I know that it's unorthodox but in Southeastern parts of Asia, fish sauce is ubiquitous in their daily cooking. About half a teaspoon of this sauce along with your typical seasonings (salt, sugar, pepper, soy sauce etc) will add a pleasant twist to your fried rice that no other combination of seasonings could replace. The best part is you won't be able to detect the strong smell of it at all in your dish. Make sure you get the higher quality fish sauce, one that has light tea color instead of the darker soy sauce like color.
Chinese Sausage
Chinese sausage is a preserved sausage made of pork or chicken with bits of fats in it and can last for quite some time if kept well. Always store some in your pantry as it is versatile and can be used in many Chinese recipes. To use in a Chinese fried rice recipe, cut it diagonally into thin slices and cook it on low heat for a couple of in a sauté pan. You want the yummy fat in it to melt and ooze out, providing you that extra oomph when added (both the sausage and melted fat) to fry your rice. Just by writing this makes my mouth waters.
Other Things to Take Note Of
Heat
High heat is crucial for frying rice Chinese style. The frying pan must be so hot that the heat heats up every grain of the rice to its core. This helps combines the flavor and the rice together and further aid in the whole process of evaporation of any unwanted moisture from the sauces and rice. Your fried rice is ready when the grains are practically jumping in the wok. Using high-pressure stove in restaurants, this can be done in a mere 15 seconds!
Storage and Re-heating
Put leftover fried rice in a tight bag and keep it in the fridge. You can use this simple method to easily re-heat your fried rice. Moisten the fried rice by wetting your hand and flicking your fingers on it. Make sure you don't use too much water. Then heat it in the microwave set on high temperature. The microwave will help to create steam and evaporate the excess moist you've added to the fried rice and in the process, re-steam the rice so that it's not overly dry and hard.

About the Author

Do you enjoy eating Chinese food? For a large selection of Chinese rice recipes and Chinese fried rice recipes, visit ChineseFood-Recipes.com.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Jamie-Hanson/34129

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