🍳Cooking 2 min read
TL;DR
Cold leftover rice is better for fried rice than freshly cooked rice: it fries up separate, absorbs seasoning well, and turns scraps into a proper meal in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 portions cooked rice from yesterday, cold from the fridge
- 1-2 eggs
- 1 spring onion or a little onion
- A handful of leftover vegetables, meat, or tofu
- 1-2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1-2 tbsp soy sauce
- Optional: a few drops of sesame oil, chili, lime
How to make it
- Break up the cold rice with your fingers or a fork so there are no big clumps.
- Heat the pan until it is properly hot, then add the oil.
- Scramble the egg briefly until it has just set.
- Add rice and leftovers, then fry hard without stirring constantly.
- Season at the end with soy sauce, sesame oil, and optional chili.
Why yesterday's rice works better
Freshly cooked rice is moist and sticky. Cold rice has dried slightly overnight and stays more separate in a hot pan. That means it fries instead of steaming. This is the difference between mushy rice and fried rice with bite.
Food safety note
Cool cooked rice quickly and store it in the fridge. Do not leave it at room temperature for hours, and use it the next day. When frying, make sure everything gets properly hot again.