Fried rice is best made with using day old white rice. But there are dishes that uses leftover ingredients such as vegetables and proteins. If you do not have leftover rice or a day-old rice at home, there are other ways that you can make fried rice without leftover rice. There is no way that you can use a freshly cooked rice in making fried rice as the texture and its consistency will never be the same compared to a day-old rice. In this guide, we will learn the simple and easy way on how to make fried rice without leftover rice. Read on below for more details.
How To Make Fried Rice Without Leftover Rice
Since fresh rice or freshly cooked rice is not advisable to use for making fried rice nor you do not want to wait another 24 hours for a day-old rice, you can make a fake leftover white rice. This imitation of a day-old rice will result to a similar texture and consistency of a day-old rice. Follow the steps below on how to make the best fried rice using faux leftover white rice.
Step 1:
The very first thing that you need to do is to rinse the rice with cold water. Strain water from the rice and repeat the same process until the water runs clear. Rinsing rice will remove excess starch from rice grains.
Step 2:
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Then add the rinsed rice. Make sure to stir to completely coat the grains with cooking oil that way a greasy barrier of each rice grain will be formed.
Step 3:
Normally, the ratio of water to rice is 3:2 so that the grains will be completely saturated. But in making fake leftover, you may want to cut down water by half.
Step 4:
Bring water to boil. Once water starts to boil, reduce heat to low then cover the pan. Simmer and wait until all the liquids are full absorbed.
Step 5:
Turn off the heat. Remove cover of the pot and gently put a dish towel (folded in half) on top of the saucepan. Cover the pot again with the lid and let rice rest until it becomes tender. The purpose of the dish towel placed over the pot it to absorbed excess moisture.
Step 6:
On a rimmed baking sheet pan, evenly spread the already cooked rice. Then allow to rice to cool down for 10 minutes.
Step 7:
Place baking sheet pan inside the fridge and allow to chill for about 20 minutes.
After following the steps mentioned above, the rice will already be used to make fried rice this time not using a day-old rice.
Fake rice are usually dry and you will notice there are tiniest clumps. But if you have to notice large clumps, make sure to break clumps before you add the rice when making fried rice.
Easy Fried Rice without leftover rice Recipe
This recipe will show you an easy and simply way in making a delicious fried rice without using leftover white rice.
- Preparation time: 5 mins
- Cooking time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Serves 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cup fake white rice
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil (vegetable oil or canola oil)
- 1 onion (small; finely chopped)
- 1 carrot (medium; peeled and diced)
- 2 scallions (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 egg (large)
- 4 oz. frozen peas
- Salt (Kosher salt) and ground white pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
- In a medium sized pan, add fake leftover rice. If there are lumps formed, break the rice using your cleans hands before adding.
- Add and heat 1/2 of oil (vegetable or canola oil) in a wok over high heat.
- Add half of the rice and cook. Make sure to stir occasionally until the rice has a toasted and chewy texture. Do this for at least 3 minutes.
- Transfer to the medium bowl then add another 1/2 tsp of oil then also add the remaining rice.
- Scoop all the rice and place in the wok or hot pan.
Create a small space in the middle or surrounding with rice. Add 1/2 tbsp. of oil to the space in the middle.
- Add to the middle of the space: onions, carrots, scallions and garlic. Allow to cook ingredients while at the same stirring it gently.
- Once vegetables are softened and cooked, mix the surrounding rice and stir.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Add salt and white pepper to taste.
- Now push fried rice to the side of the wok.
Add again another 1/2 tbsp. of oil. Break the eggs in the wok, season with salt. Then turn into scramble eggs by breaking into small pieces using a spatula. Mix cooked eggs and fried rice together.
- Add frozen peas and mix together with fried rice.
- Serve immediately .
Cooking tips:
- For making good fried rice, use these types of rice: medium grain rice, jasmine rice, and sushi rice.
- Brown rice can also be used in making fried rice. The bran of the brown rice will not make the grains of freshly cooked brown rice to release starch and prevents clumping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using freshly cooked white rice will result to a mushy and soggy fried rice. Therefore, using a day-old rice is recommended. A refrigerated day old rice will give delicious fried rice the perfect texture.
You can place the rice inside the fridge for at least 30 minutes, making sure it is uncovered. But if you want fried rice to be the right texture, place the rice in fridge overnight before using.
Leftover rice can last up to 3 to 4 days when stored inside the refrigerator. You can also store leftover in the freezer and will last up to 2 months but make sure properly thaw frozen rice before using it.
Final thoughts
When making fried rice, for best results use a day-old rice or left over rice. But if there are no leftover rice on hand, there is another way to make rice to use for fried rice that will also have the same texture as that of a leftover rice.
If you want to make fried rice but do not have leftover rice, try the steps in creating a fake leftover rice that can also be used to make your fried rice.