Almost everyone loves good Chinese take-out food, so in my most recent cookbook, Cooking Around the World with Chef Dez, I included a whole chapter on this.
In that chapter you will learn how to make all your favourites at home, including this most popular recipe for Chicken Fried Rice.
Chicken Fried Rice
4 teaspoons canola oil, separated
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4-pound (340g) chicken breast or thigh, boneless skinless, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup small diced onion
1 small carrot, diced small, approximately 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon finely minced or grated ginger
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups cold pre-cooked rice
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed in garlic press
1 teaspoon chicken stock paste*
1 tablespoon oyster sauce*
2 tablespoons soy sauce*
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sesame oil*
4 green onions, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the canola oil and then the beaten eggs. Cook for about 30 seconds while breaking up until completely cooked into small bits.
Add the chicken to the egg and season lightly with some salt and pepper. Cook while stirring frequently for about 2 minutes until chicken is mostly cooked. Add the other 2 teaspoons canola oil, then the onion, carrot, and ginger.
Cook, stirring frequently, until onion and carrot are mostly soft, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas. Thoroughly stir in the rice and garlic and cook for about 1 minute, making sure to break up any lumps of rice.
In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock paste together with the oyster sauce. Then whisk in the soy sauce to this mixture. Stir this mixture thoroughly into the rice with the turmeric and cook for about 1 more minute until the rice is completely heated, stirring frequently.
Stir in the butter, sesame oil, and green onions. Continue stirring until the butter has completely melted. Season to taste with more soy sauce (or salt and pepper) if desired and serve immediately. Makes approximately 6 cups.
*Chicken stock paste is chicken broth that has been reduced down to a concentrated paste form. The most common brand found at your local grocery stores is Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base – in small glass jars. Once opened this will last one year easily in your refrigerator.
*Oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil can all be found down the Asian/Import food aisle of your major grocery store.
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– Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructor in the Fraser Valley. Visit him at www.chefdez.com. Send questions to dez@chefdez.com or to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4