Yangzhou Fried Rice
This dish is about discipline at the stove. By prepping every ingredient to the same size as a pea, you ensure that every spoonful contains a bit of everything without needing to overwork the pan.
Cold rice is not a suggestion; it is the foundation.
If you try this with fresh, steaming rice, you will end up with a clumped, mushy mess. Spread your cooked rice on a tray in the fridge for at least four hours before you begin.
- Carbon steel wok
- Large metal spatula
- Fine mesh strainer
What goes in.
- 3 cupscold cooked jasmine rice
- 1/2 cupsmall peeled shrimp, deveined and cut into thirds
- 1/3 cupchar siu (Chinese BBQ pork), diced small
- 1/3 cupboiled ham, diced small
- 1/2 cupfresh green peas
- 3large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbspscallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)
- 2 tbspneutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
- 1 tspShaoxing rice wine
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 1/4 tspwhite pepper
Controlling the heat
Maintain the highest possible heat throughout the cook. The goal is to evaporate excess moisture immediately, allowing the rice to toast slightly rather than steam in the oil.
The method.
Sear the proteins
Heat one tablespoon of oil in the wok until it smokes. Briefly sear the shrimp, ham, and pork. Remove them from the wok before they toughen.
The egg coating
Add the remaining oil. Pour in the eggs and immediately add the cold rice. Use your spatula to break up the rice clumps, coating every grain in the semi-cooked egg.
Stir-fry
Keep the rice moving constantly for three minutes until the grains jump in the wok. The rice should look dry and feel light.
Finish the dish
Toss the cooked proteins and peas back in. Splash the Shaoxing wine around the edges of the wok. Season with salt and white pepper, folding in the scallions at the very last second.
Other turns to take.
Vegetarian
Replace the pork, ham, and shrimp with extra-firm tofu pressed and cubed to the same size as the peas.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Break up any clumps in the cold rice with your hands before tossing it into the wok.
Keep the heat high—if the rice starts to steam, the pan is too crowded or the flame is too low.
Use a fine-mesh strainer to quickly blanch the peas in boiling water so they remain vibrant green.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use brown rice?
It is not recommended. The texture of brown rice is too fibrous and will not achieve the necessary lightness required for this specific technique.
Why white pepper instead of black?
White pepper provides a cleaner, sharper heat that disappears into the rice without staining the color of the grains.