Egg Fried Rice

Egg fried rice is the best argument for cooking too much rice on purpose. Cold, dry rice fries into separate grains instead of turning to paste, and the whole thing is done in the time it takes to boil a kettle twice. It is also the most forgiving way to use up the half-carrot and handful of peas nobody else wants.

Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 10 minutes · Total: 20 minutes · Serves 3

Equipment

• Large frying pan or wok
• Wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked, cooled rice (ideally made the day before)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Salt and white or black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs, scramble quickly, then remove to a plate.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and peas and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps, and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until heated through.
5. Return the scrambled egg to the pan, add the soy sauce and sesame oil, and toss everything together.
6. Stir through the spring onions, season with pepper, and serve hot.

Tips

• Cold, day-old rice fries much better than fresh rice, which clumps and goes mushy.
• Cook over the highest heat your hob allows and keep everything moving.
• Prep every ingredient before you start — once the pan is hot there is no time to chop.

Substitutions

• Add cooked chicken, prawns or tofu for extra protein.
• Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
• Swap in any diced vegetables you have: sweetcorn, red pepper or shredded cabbage all work.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day and reheat once, until piping hot throughout. Freezing is not recommended because of the egg.

Food safety

Cooked rice is the one to respect: cool it as fast as possible (within an hour), keep it chilled, use it within a day, and reheat it only once until piping hot. Never leave cooked rice sitting out at room temperature.

Allergens as written

• Egg
• Soya and wheat (soy sauce)
• Sesame (sesame oil)

Nutrition estimate

• Calories: Roughly 380 kcal per serving (estimate, based on 3 servings)
• Protein: Roughly 12g
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 58g
• Fat: Roughly 11g

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