Chinese-Style Fried Jasmine Rice with Vegetables and Egg Recipe
Fried jasmine rice with vegetables and egg is one of the most popular “from the wok” dishes in Chinese homes – a perfect way to use up yesterday’s rice. In China it’s often served as a quick lunch or dinner, and every family has its own version. It’s a bit like our “whatever’s in the fridge”, just with soy sauce and sesame.
This dish turns simple leftover rice into a fragrant, colorful meal in just a few minutes, using basic pantry vegetables and classic Chinese seasonings.
Chef's tips
Use completely cold, day-old rice if possible – freshly cooked rice tends to clump and become mushy in the pan. If you only have fresh rice, spread it out on a tray and let it cool and dry for as long as you can before frying.
How to serve
Serve as a standalone dish or as a side to simple stir-fried meat or tofu. A little extra soy sauce or chili oil on the table lets everyone adjust the flavor to their liking.
Ingredients
- rice preferably rice from the previous day - 400 g
- eggs - 3 pieces
- carrot cut into small cubes - 1 piece
- frozen green peas - 80 g
- canned corn drained - 80 g
- chives or spring onion chopped - 3 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- oil e.g. rapeseed oil - 3 tablespoons
- sesame oil optional, for finishing - 1 teaspoon
- garlic finely chopped - 1 clove
- salt to taste, carefully, as soy sauce is salty
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- If the rice is freshly cooked, spread it out on a plate and let it cool completely so the grains separate.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok. Pour in the eggs and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, until you get soft scrambled pieces. Transfer the eggs to a plate.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the chopped carrot and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring, until it starts to soften.
- Add the frozen peas and corn and fry for another 2 minutes, until the vegetables are hot.
- Increase the heat to fairly high. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps with a spoon or spatula. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is hot and slightly dried out.
- Pour the soy sauce around the edges of the pan (not in one spot) and quickly mix so it coats the rice evenly. Season with pepper and, if needed, a little salt.
- Add the fried eggs and chopped chives, and gently stir for another 1 minute.
- Finally, drizzle the rice with sesame oil, if using. Serve immediately while hot and fragrant.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to keep a portion of cooked rice in the fridge just for this recipe – it makes an almost instant dinner on busy days, and you can throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand.
