how can one make fried-rice taste perfect?

Question

The problem with my fried-rice is that it doesn't taste well, whichever rice I use to make it.

Answer 1

The Collegian10/1/02 | Variety | « Issue Home
Cooking techniques to make the perfect fried rice
KELLY CHAVES, Staff Writer

There are many different types of rice on the market. It can be tricky to find the right type of rice for the recipe you’re working with.

The wonder grain rice comes from a grass first cultivated in India in 3000 BCE. Rice spread throughout Asia and is still a staple of the Asian diet.

White rice, found in all grocery stores, has had the hull and bran removed and has been polished to a nice sheen. White rice can come in long, medium, and short grains.

Brown rice, found primarily in health food stores, has its husks removed; however, it keeps it outer bran covering, resulting in a darker color. This rice is deemed more nutritious than white rice, but the flavor is very intense. Brown rice usually comes in long grains.

American wild rice is actually not rice at all. It is a grass, but it is not in the rice family. This type of grain was cultivated by Native Americans in streams and paddies and today is considered a delicacy in some parts of the world.


American wild rice is coarse and very chewy with a slight nutty aftertaste to it. This type of rice is a medium to long grained rice.

Before I learned how to choose and cook rice, my rice always ended up sticky or watery and was not pleasing at all. I have even had to drain the excess water out of the pan after I made rice a couple of times.

I have learned the secrets for making perfect rice and will gladly share them with you.

First, select a grain size that will work best for your recipe. For every 1 cup of rice you cook, you will add 1 cup of water. Though this will not look like enough water you can always add more, but you can’t take it out.


After cooking for about 10 minutes, the rice will have expanded and should be simmering. Taste the rice. If it is still slightly crunchy, gradually add more water and stir.

It is vital to stir the rice when it comes to this stage. It needs to have even amounts of water incorporated into it or it will burn and stick to the bottom of the pan, making clean up 10 times harder.


After the rice is thoroughly cooked, take a fork and fluff it up a bit to separate any grains that might be sticking together.

Grain size does matter. Long grained rice, if cooked properly, results in fluffy rice, much like a wonderful fried rice.

Follow the foolproof rice recipe (to the right), to make 1 cup cooked white long grained rice. In a skillet or a wok, heat 1 Tablespoon oil for 2 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, and peas. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the cooked rice to the skillet, turning it over and over to incorporate the oil and vegetables into it.

Push the rice mixture to the sides of the skillet; creating a well in the middle of the pan that is devoid of food. Crack in one egg and scramble with your spatula. Stir this cooked scrambled egg into the rice mixture surrounding the skillet sides.

Separate the mixture again, creating another hole, and scramble the second egg in. Stir the mixture together and let it heat for 3 more minutes and serve.

Medium grained rice becomes moist and tender when cooked, which is perfect for rice salad. Whereas, short grained rice becomes incredibly sticky and works best in porridge or rice gruel.

Follow the Foolproof rice recipe to make cooked white medium grained rice. In a bowl combine rice with the first 4 ingredients.

In another bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar. Stir them together vigorously. Next add minced garlic and sugar. Stir the mixture together; add salt and pepper to taste.

Then drizzle dressing over rice/vegetable mixture and incorporate all of the dressing into the rice. Refrigerate for 1 to 24 hours before serving.

With many different varieties of rice in the world, the culinary possibilities are endless.

Rice is a healthy, quick alternative to many fried snacks on the market and is an easy and fun ingredient to cook with. Happy rice-making everyone!

Answer 2

If your trying to make your fried rice taste more like what you get at the little chinese take out restraunts, try steaming it in a steamer, then transferring it to a wok or skillet and frying some scambled eggs in the same pan but off to the side of it. Then mixing it. Also, before you add the egg, you could add a tiny bit of teryaki or worchester sauce to the mix. A little goes a long way.
Personally, I have my own version of rice but it's not fried. It's still yummy. It's yellow rice. Well it looks more like it's orange. lol. I use a steamer and use white rice, I add the rice and slightly more than double the water, then I add some adobo, and some extra garlic, then I use 1 pouch of Goya chicken bouillon, and 1 pouch of Goya Sazon (the red stuff). The amounts vary depending on the amount of rice you make and your individual tastes. But it's pretty good. Even my picky son loves my rice.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Buy it at a Chinese restaurant.

Seriously? What type of rice are you using and how are you cooking it? Need more details in order to tell you what you're doing wrong but I will tell you how I do it. To start, use a jasmine rice that you buy in the Asian foods section of your grocer's or go to an Asian market. Uncle Ben's is not gonna cut it. Boil the rice (or steam since most white people don't know how to properly boil rice). Fry up the veggies you want to add in a well-seasoned wok and then add the cooked rice. Use some sesame oil, a very little bit of soy sauce and some Chinese five spice to season. If you're adding egg, push the rice and veggies to the sides of the wok and break an egg in the middle of the wok, whisk it to break it up nicely and then stir into your rice and veggie mixture.

Good luck!

Answer 4

First you make the rice in a rice cooker then boil it for 5 min. Then fri it and put all the spices you need

Answer 5

Fast Fried Rice Bowl
Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 1 serving

1/2 cup MINUTE White Rice, uncooked
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. KRAFT Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1 Tbsp. soy sauce



MIX rice, vegetables, water and egg in large microwaveable bowl; cover with vented plastic wrap.
MICROWAVE on HIGH 5 min. Let stand, covered, 5 min. Fluff with fork.
ADD dressing and soy sauce; mix lightly.




KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS


Special Extra
Add 1 Tbsp. sliced green onion or 2 Tbsp. chopped PLANTERS Peanuts.

Answer 6

Maybe you need authentic...

Indonesian Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)
When I lived in Holland several years ago, I often indulged in this spicy rice dish. This recipe, from an old newspaper cutting, is the most authentic I have found, and closely matches the wonderful taste sensation I experienced in Holland. More unusual ingredients, such as shrimp paste (also known variously as belacan, balachan, blachan and trassi) can be found in Asian speciality food stores. I must warn you that dried shrimp paste smells rather awful, but the taste in the finished dish is wonderfully aromatic, and essential to the authenticity of Indonesian cuisine. Nasi Goreng can be served as a main dish, as a component of a Dutch/Indonesian 'rijstafel' or as a side dish. It is commonly eaten by Indonesians for breakfast, which you can do also if there is any left from the previous day (doubtful!). Preparation time does not include cooking and cooling the rice.
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch strips
6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili bean sauce or 1-2 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon ketjap manis or dark soy sauce
Garnish
3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
6 servings
1. Boil rice in plenty of salted water until cooked.
2. Rinse, drain and spread the rice to cool.
3. Do this at least two hours ahead, or preferably, leave overnight in the fridge.
4. Combine eggs with sesame oil and salt, and put aside (see below).
5. Heat wok or large frying pan over heat until hot.
6. Add oil, and wait until it is very hot and slightly smoking.
7. Add the onions, ginger, shrimp paste, garlic, and pepper, and stir-fry for 2 minutes, squashing the shrimp paste as you go.
8. Then add chicken and shrimp and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
9. Add rice and continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes.
10. Now add the chilli bean sauce or sambal oelek, oyster sauce and ketjap manis/dark soy sauce and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
11. Finally, add egg mixture and continue to stir-fry for another minute.
12. Alternatively make 2 thin omelettes from the egg mixture ahead of time and cut into strips.
13. These can then be used as garnish on the finished dish.
14. Turn onto large serving platter and garnish with the spring onion and fresh cilantro, and serve hot.

Answer 7

Hey, my mom always makes fried-rice, but since i dont know the recipe, i guess i cant help you.

But if u want to try THE most perfect fried-rice, try coming to Singapore
They have it almost everywhere, and it tastes HEAVENLY.

- depends on which stall u bought it from.

Answer 8

The problem is the alcohol your using, try a bottle of red and a bottle of white then call Cracklin Rose and get on board.