Best Way to Make Fried Rice as Per Chinese Takeaway

BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 17:41

Hi all Ozbr's.

What is the best way to make fried rice similar to an Aussie Chinese takeaway restaurant? Admittedly some restaurants are not as good as others.

I purchased some Baccarat Woks as we use an induction cooktop. I have also tried it on the Ziegler BBQ using this attachment.

I've tried both vegetable oil and sesame oil, and heat it up for at least 3 to 5 mins

Rice is cooked, cooled and fluffed. I generally use a Joseph and Joseph Microwave container

I precook the bacon.

I have even used Oyster Sauce (even though I have allergies to shellfish and fish)

I use the basics :-

  • Long Grain Rice (and I have used Jasmine)
  • Pre-cooked Bacon
  • Egg (Even Pre-cooked)
  • Spring Onions
  • MSG
  • Soy Sauce (either light or normal Kikoman)
  • Peas

The only thing I can think of is I am not using a good seasoned wok, and/or I need a more intense Gas burner? Is the induction letting me down?

Again, as I mentioned above not all Asian takeaway places have decent fried rice especially the ones in shopping centres, and have it Ready to Go.

Food & Grocery Fried Rice

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/05/2022 - 17:44
    +85

    Nothing better than a succulent Chinese meal

    Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/05/2022 - 17:44 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
  • spackbace on 24/05/2022 - 17:45
    +49

    induction cooktop

    Uncle Roger puts leg down

    spackbace on 24/05/2022 - 17:45 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 17:52

      Who is Uncle Roger?

      • CrispyChrispy on 24/05/2022 - 18:05
        +2

        @uncleroger

        Let the man himself explain for you

        • Ravensbane on 25/05/2022 - 15:45
          +2

          You actually had me scroll through the comments to see if he did weigh in. He didnt :(

      • Timtamdoritos on 25/05/2022 - 12:34
        +7

        Emotional Damage… :(

        • Dr Techno on 26/05/2022 - 09:40

          man my son says that once every hour, due to some craze at school where older grades (year 4) keep on repeating it.. gets annoying after awhile.

          • Timtamdoritos on 26/05/2022 - 12:39

            @Dr Techno: It’s all over Insta and tik tok as well! And more you watch it Insta thinks u love it and show you more of EMOTIONAL DAMAGE .

      • aboogee on 25/05/2022 - 16:48
        +8

        haiyaaaaaaaaaa
        how can you not know uncle roger when you trying to do egg fly lice
        so weak
        go and youtube uncle roger egg fly lice and find out yourself!

      • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 04:15
        +1

        Watch him on YT, it will help in your fried rice endeavours.

    • Flying Ace on 25/05/2022 - 07:12
      +9

      Haiyaaa

      • SillySorjai on 25/05/2022 - 12:42
        +4

        AIYAA

        EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!

  • apsilon on 24/05/2022 - 17:54
    +18

    Don't cook using sesame oil, add it during cooking for flavour. No garlic? Shallot? You don't say what the problem is. Missing a particular flavour? Clumping? Your ingredients are fine other than what I mentioned (especially garlic) though they obviously vary greatly between restaurants.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:36

      Hi, I do use Green Onions - IE Shallots. I'll take this on board. :)

      • apsilon on 24/05/2022 - 18:41
        +1

        I took that to mean green onion that's often used as garnish (and often called shallot), not shallot (aka eschalots) onion like bulb which I'm referring to.

      • wjb on 25/05/2022 - 13:57
        +1

        Spring onion - I cook the white part with oil (along with garlic) and just make sure they are not burnt.
        I chuck in the green part in the final minute of stir fry / for garnishing.

    • superuser on 26/05/2022 - 18:09

      Yes, add mince garlic.

  • AustriaBargain on 24/05/2022 - 17:59
    +3

    I used to make fried rice by cooking the rice with chicken stock. And fried eggs really thin, roll them up, and slice it. Cutting carrots into that star shape with one of them tools also helps home cooked Chinese food feel more authentic.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:36

      I did that as well.

      • juki on 26/05/2022 - 10:46
        +1

        day old rice and you need high heat in your pan, sugar and salt/soy sauce can replace MSG if thats what flavour you are after

  • capslock on 24/05/2022 - 18:00
    +26

    Triple the amount of oil that you are using.

    • Jaspa7 on 27/05/2022 - 23:48
      +6

      not in this economy.. also, triples the risk of the US invading your rice

  • ChocStrawberries on 24/05/2022 - 18:03
    +8

    Not authentic, and I'm sure many will shoot this down, but someone once told me to try butter instead of oil when frying the rice. I tried it, and for the first time, my rice was almost identical to my local Chinese restaurant!

    I make rice (in the pressure cooker) and keep it in the fridge for a few days before using it for fried rice. Then just add butter, chopped onion, bit of garlic powder, a splash of soy, few drops of sesame oil (you don't really want to notice it's there), frozen peas, shredded ham or bacon, chopped omelette, and that's it! I also add a few shakes of chicken salt, but I add that to most things. ;)

    • apsilon on 24/05/2022 - 18:05
      +3

      chicken salt

      I used to do that to left over rice. Would throw whatever left overs I had in with the left over boiled rice and season with chicken salt.

      • ChocStrawberries on 24/05/2022 - 18:09
        +4

        Chicken salt improves everything. Except my health, sadly. ;)

        • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:37
          +2

          I should have bought the pack from Costco. :)

    • Munki on 25/05/2022 - 03:49
      +4

      Chicken powder is the key ingredient.

  • azngamer on 24/05/2022 - 18:03
    +24

    With the rice, are you using leftover rice from the fridge? My parents told me to always use that.

    You might be missing the white pepper as well as the dried Chinese sausage

    • marunouchi19 on 24/05/2022 - 18:15
      +4

      Yes leftover rice is key!

    • 87percent on 24/05/2022 - 18:19
      +8

      Yep.. the rice in fried rice needs to be dryer than normal. You can’t just cook rice, and use that. Need to leave it overnight

      • derrida derider on 26/05/2022 - 10:04

        The cheat's way is to use one of those instant rice packets where the rice is parboiled, but not FULLY cooked. And long-grained basmati works better than medium grain jasmine rice too because it is dryer when cooked - despite the restaurants using that type of rice. Works for me

        But yes, the rice can't be dripping wet from the rice cooker - it has to be a little dryer.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:37

      Yes.

    • zine21 on 27/05/2022 - 18:02

      Is it normal for the dried Chinese sausage (the longlife/on shelf ones) to taste extremely strong and overpowering? When I try cooking with it - it just tasted like a really bad almost off, pork flavour

      • azngamer on 28/05/2022 - 22:03

        It shouldn't have a strong overpowering flavour. It should be a lot less strong than salami but more than ham.

        Then again, hard to say since I grew up with it and for me Prosciutto taste like socks or feet

    • scottishdave on 28/05/2022 - 15:46

      Cooked rice can make you sick if you don't store it like this
      https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/bacillus-cereus-in-rice-can-…

  • rektrading on 24/05/2022 - 18:03
    -1

    Wok

  • CrispyChrispy on 24/05/2022 - 18:06
    +11

    You need very high heat with the wok in order to get that special flavour (wok-hay) and aroma. Can't be done with an induction cooktop, a Rambo gas burner of some sort would be sufficient.

    • blwnhr on 25/05/2022 - 08:22
      +13

      This.
      Commercial wok burners are 110-135Mj/hr, even the cheap gutless ones are 60+Mj/hr.

      You simply don't have enough heat.

      Barbecue burners max out at about 20Mj/hr.
      Even a $5,500 Miele dedicated induction wok cooktop on TwinBurn Level 2 (aka flat out) can only generate about 11Mj/hr.

      • leiiv on 26/05/2022 - 13:20
        +4

        OP's Baccarat will melt away at such heat. He will need a seasoned carbon steel wok too.

      • bmxr on 26/05/2022 - 18:15
        +3

        Love the justification that has gone in to this response! Thank you

      • derrida derider on 26/05/2022 - 19:26
        +2

        But the biggest gas burner that is legal in a domestic kitchen is only 14MJ/hr. If you want a big commercial one you have to have a commercial-sized rangehood and industrial-level safety arrangements (pilot light, fire blanket,etc). Not really feasible in the home.

        I do my stir-frying outdoors, with one of these:
        https://www.bbqsrus.com.au/products/product/quad-ring-cast-i…

        Alternatively use a high pressure burner like:
        https://www.bbqsrus.com.au/products/product/high-pressure-bu…

        The links are just to show you what I mean - if you shop around you can probably get better and/or cheaper.

        • fusion17 on 28/05/2022 - 15:24

          WHG638BC Westinghouse 60cm 3 Burner Cooktop

          That's the best 60cm you can get that's reasonably priced at 19mj.
          Makes a huge difference from the previous 14mj I had

          Also I believe the very best places actually steam the rice, not cook it in a pot.
          That makes the best fried rice, fresh but steamed rice.

  • dasher86 on 24/05/2022 - 18:12
    +10

    Left over rice from the fridge.
    MSG.

  • Richardc on 24/05/2022 - 18:13
    +1

    best way is not use induction cooktop.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q-5eIBfBDQ

  • marunouchi19 on 24/05/2022 - 18:14
    +4

    Someone else has mentioned this, but I think the key factor for nice restaurant-style fried rice is to use leftover rice. Because it goes dry and slightly hard, when you use leftover rice from the fridge in your fried rice, the oil can coat each grain a bit better than using freshly cooked rice. I think it's also important to be generous with the amount of oil you use initially in your pan because you want enough oil to coat all of the rice. Next time you are in an Asian or even better Japanese grocery store, look for packets of fried rice seasoning mix. They are the absolute bomb. Google 'Japanese Chahan Seasoning Mix' or something to find an image of the product I'm talking about, but there are a few varieties.

  • bazingaa on 24/05/2022 - 18:31
    +6

    Rice is cooked, cooled and fluffed. I generally use a Joseph and Joseph Microwave container(josephjoseph.com.au)

    OMG, just use a rice cooker from Kmart for $14

    intense Gas burner? Is the induction letting me down?

    yes, it gives the wokay, see this for uncle Roger approved authentic tutorial

    • ATangk on 25/05/2022 - 14:28
      +1

      Almost choked when I saw that microwave container.

  • foxmulder on 24/05/2022 - 18:37
    +3

    You will need large peeled prawns (one that still has its tail) and Chinese bbq pork if you want to get closer to one the restaurant have.

    Yesterday's fridge cooked rice is preferred

    • snuke on 27/05/2022 - 14:32

      Yesterday's fridge cooked rice is preferred

      You cook your rice in the fridge? Damn, I need to step up my game, that's some next level shit right there.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:38

    All good so far guys, though I have use the Gas BBQ Trivet.

  • sharkyoz on 24/05/2022 - 18:41

    make sure rice is added last, and keep tossin' it

  • SF3 on 24/05/2022 - 18:45
    +3

    vegetable oil and sesame oil

    The most popular type of oil used by Chinese cooks is peanut oil, and it is a high smoke point oil, which is perfectly safe to use for frying.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 18:54

      Ok. I'll give that a shot as well.

      • GabrielB on 25/05/2022 - 15:00

        Don't get it from the supermarket as it lacks flavour, get it from an Asian grocer.

  • morse on 24/05/2022 - 19:03
    +2

    I use various methods but one tip I learned from a Vietnamese chef is to always refrigerate the rice after it’s cooked and before adding to the stir fry to avoid gluggy rice.

  • jackary on 24/05/2022 - 19:10
    +1

    Maggi seasoning - specifically, the one you get at Asian supermarkets. The Australian version at Woolworths isn’t the same.

  • evieee on 24/05/2022 - 19:26
    +1

    I followed Babish’s recipe and it was heavenly. Basically, lots of butter. https://youtu.be/Dk0axPbD2pc

  • Tiredman on 24/05/2022 - 19:31
    +3

    Wok Hei, the most important part of a proper fried rice. I could get that at home (cook fried rice every week) with my Rambo burner.

    Learn from this legend.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgYXRuQcniw

  • Cave Fire on 24/05/2022 - 19:52
    +1

    well, ask ten people, get ten different answers… the best recipe I have found is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzbRwICWODk He uses freshly cooked rice made using the absorption method, like this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2toVXfZ15c. The reason for that is so the rice tastes fresh. It's short or medium grain which absorbs enough water but is still dry. Needs to be cool. The order of the fried rice is important and there are tweaks like using chicken salt. Tastes similar to the fried rice that a sushi chef used to make for us. OG chinese probably uses a good wine and needs flame.

    • Tiredman on 24/05/2022 - 20:57
      +1

      This is probably Japanese fried rice which is a bit different from the Chinese ones. Notice the small fire? Japanese fried rice doesn't place emphasis on Wok Hei if that's the taste OP is after.

      • Cave Fire on 24/05/2022 - 21:07

        eh, first recipe that worked for me, other times it was a gluggy mess even with cold rice.

  • lainey13 on 24/05/2022 - 19:52
    +2

    Peanut oil, and day old rice. Wok must be really hot, its cooked properly when the rice grains 'jump'. But has to be done fast! Or you get burnt rice :)

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 24/05/2022 - 20:33

    So any recommendations on a Wok?

    • Tiredman on 24/05/2022 - 20:59
      +2

      Just any decent steel carbon wok and remember to season it. Plenty of videos on Youtube.

    • lgacb08 on 24/05/2022 - 21:23
      +1

      As others have said old left over rice is the key, you can get away with just a tefal non-stick big enough so you don't spill it everywhere. My best tip is putting the rice in freezer for a week or so to dry out moisture further, making sure you break the lumps thoroughly before cooking.
      Another tips is precook some ingredients like prawn, frozen peas and corn to drain water out as extra water will make rice sticky. Add one or two beaten egg to coat the rice will make it look and taste great.

    • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 04:23

      Cast iron if you have the patience to cure it etc. Gets nice and smojey, becomes pretty non stick once you're used to it, and retains heat well. Plus adds flavour. Also add garlic, fry the egg, don't don't make it super thin, more like a scrambled omelette (softer). And dry rice ofcourse.

      • Save Medicare on 26/05/2022 - 14:23

        Maybe cast iron if you are popeye… I would recommend carbon steel for the average punter.

        • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 22:36

          Look the initial curing is serious work but it's worth it for the quality of cooking you get and also the clean-up after use and the reduced oil needed in cooking, is just great. But if I didn't have a Popeye that loved the curing and prepping, I'd possibly consider other options.

    • The General on 26/05/2022 - 17:17

      Very important. Do not use a non-stick Wok. The coating on them is not designed for high heats (it gives off toxins). And wok cooking usually requires high heat.

      Non-stick Woks are just a no no.

  • GrueHunter on 24/05/2022 - 21:17
    +3

    Oil in pan
    Rice in pan with aromatics
    Stir until hot
    Stir beaten eggs into rice - maybe one egg per packed cup of rice
    Will look like gloppy mess
    Stir stir stir
    Will still look too wet
    Stir stir stir stir stir
    oh god what have I done
    stor stir stir stir stir
    Rice grains separate and become golden
    Add precooked veges, ham, dried shrimp, etc
    Finish with white pepper, oyster sauce, MSG, maybe a very small amount of sesame, no soy

    • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 04:25

      I hate this idea of mixing the egg into the rice. Seeing it all over IG.

      • AEKaBeer on 26/05/2022 - 07:44
        +1

        This is how my Malaysian in laws do it, I like it better than the omelette style

        • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 22:41

          Do you know if it's a Malaysian style thing or just their style? I am quite particular about the amount of/way the egg was cooked for a fried rice.

      • GrueHunter on 26/05/2022 - 19:26
        +1

        Probably seeing it everywhere because that's how it's done. Have you tried it?

        • cookie2 on 26/05/2022 - 22:39

          Nope, I have this idea that I'd still wanna put eggs coz I'd feel like they were lost in it. Not intending to bag you btw, just don't like the idea. Nah there's a lot of ig cooking I see where it's just trending recipes.

  • askme69 on 24/05/2022 - 21:26

    They buy it already made up in 20kg bags.

  • jjjaar on 24/05/2022 - 22:17
    +1

    One of the best ways I have found is get your rice out of the fridge. Let it go to room temp. Mix it with egg yolk until all combined and then fry that mixture. Each grain of rice separates so well and it tastes delicious.

    Then just add veggies/flavours as normal, but that’s the key to the rice.

  • belongsinforums on 24/05/2022 - 23:34

    the secret ingredient is garlic pepper. you can buy it at chinese supermarkets. ungodly

  • Anonymous101 on 24/05/2022 - 23:54
    +3

    https://youtu.be/pgkOLQCMKas

    I found this pretty helpful. The entire series tbh. I can cook pretty decent fried rice now following his technique and the right equipment.

    • redpump on 26/05/2022 - 18:58
      +1

      +1 on Alex's fried rice cooking series, very in depth and helps me understand the basics. Now my fried rice tastes authentic! I still leftover rice in the fridge for convenience.

    • Manh on 27/05/2022 - 00:38
      +1

      I was about to suggest Alex's video as well and then saw that you've already done it. For the original poster, Alex breaks down the science in a step by step process of frying rice and tries to recreate the the fried rice of a master Cantonese chef

  • kiitos on 25/05/2022 - 08:03
    +1

    What aspects about your attempts make it different to takeaway? Is yours gluggy?

    As above, use much more oil than you think you should, to separate the grains to avoid clumps. Can also try using salt instead of soy sauce to reduce the amount of liquid.

    If induction, I'd say you could try using a normal large pan instead of a wok, to have more surface area being heated.

  • MaxTravels on 25/05/2022 - 08:25

    When I was young I used to work in a Chinese restaurant as a kitchen hand. My one of my jobs was to take the cooked rice break it up while it was in the fridge so that the grains separated. We kept it in the fridge without a cover so it would dry out. It was always left overnight. The rice should be a bit hard after this process and not stick together. Recently when I cooked rice for fried rice I left it in the fridge for two full days and it was still a little sticky.

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