- Prep time10 mins
- Cook time8 mins
- Servings3
- DifficultyEasy
- CategoryChinese
Fried rice has one iron rule: the rice must be a day old. Fresh rice is too moist and turns to mush; refrigerated rice dries out, and the grains stay separate and toast individually in the wok. The egg goes in two stages — scrambled soft first, then tossed back — so you get silky ribbons instead of rubbery bits. High heat, fast hands, five minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked long-grain rice, refrigerated overnight
- 4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas and diced carrots, thawed
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
Method
- Break up the cold rice with your hands so no clumps remain.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble softly, breaking into ribbons. Remove while still slightly underdone.
- Add 2 tbsp oil, stir-fry the garlic 30 seconds, then add the peas and carrots for 1 minute.
- Add the rice, tossing and pressing it against the hot wok for 3 to 4 minutes, until the grains toast and separate.
- Drizzle the soy sauce around the edge of the wok (it sizzles and caramelizes), then toss through. Add the sesame oil and white pepper.
- Fold back the egg and spring onions, toss 30 seconds, and serve.
Tips for success
- Day-old rice is non-negotiable; in a pinch, spread fresh rice on a tray and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Soy sauce around the wok's edge, not on the rice — the sizzle adds smokiness.
- Keep everything moving; fried rice waits for no one and burns in seconds.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from Your Food Lab walkthrough covers the same egg fried rice step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.