Fried rice

Fried rice
Typical Chinese fried rice
Traditional Chinese 炒飯
Simplified Chinese 炒饭

Fried rice is a popular component of Asian cuisine, especially Chinese food. It is made from steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, and meat. It is sometimes served as the penultimate dish in Chinese banquets (just before dessert). As a home-cooked dish, fried rice typically is made with left over ingredients from other dishes, leading to countless variations.[1]

There are many popular varieties of fried rice, each with its own specific list of ingredients. In Asia, the more famous varieties include Yangzhou and Fujian fried rice. Elsewhere, Chinese restaurants catering to non-Chinese clientele have invented their own varieties of fried rice including egg fried rice, Malaysian (spicy) fried rice and the ubiquitous 'special fried rice'.

Fried rice is a common staple in American Chinese cuisine, especially in the form sold at fast-food stands. The most common form of American Chinese fried rice consists of some mixture of eggs, scallions, and vegetables, with chopped meat added at the customer's discretion, and usually flavoured with soy sauce instead of table salt (more typical for Chinese-style fried rice). Fried rice is also seen in other American restaurants, even in cuisines where there is no native tradition of the dish. The dish is also a staple of Chinese restaurants in the United Kingdom (both "sit-in" and "takeaway"), and fried rice is very popular in the West African nations of Nigeria, Ghana and Togo, both as a restaurant food and as street food.

Contents

Preparation

Fried rice is made from cold rice that has already been cooked by steaming. The use of leftover rice and other leftover ingredients is common when cooked at home. The oil may be seasoned with aromatics such as garlic before the rice and other ingredients are stir fried together in a wok. The non-rice ingredients used in fried rice are greatly varied. They can include eggs, meat (chicken, beef, or cured pork), seafood (shrimp or lobster), vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bean sprouts, celery, peas, corn), mushrooms, spices and peppers, and soy sauce or sometimes oyster sauce. The base of vegetable fried rice does not contain any meat or seafood; others are named for the primary addition (e.g., "chicken fried rice" or "shrimp fried rice"). Other "house" versions may contain several meats and seafoods. It is often stir-fried in a wok with vegetable oil or animal fat to prevent sticking, as well as for flavour. Onions, scallion and garlic are often added for extra flavor. It is popularly eaten either as an accompaniment to another dish, or as a course by itself. Popular garnishes include fried shallots, sprigs of parsley or coriander leaves, carrots carved into intricate shapes or sliced chili sprinkled on top of the heaped rice.

Many food stands found on the streets across Southeast Asia serve fried rice with a selection of garnishes and side dishes that the customer can choose to add.

Common varieties

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fried rice and noodle dishes with vegetables are likewise ancient. They were typically composed of leftover ingredients and cooked in woks." Olver, Lynne (2006-08-06). "Food Timeline--history notes: Asian-American cuisine". http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodasian.html#friedrice. Retrieved 2007-06-05. 

External links

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