I must admit I have discovered Chinese cuisine only recently. Growing up in Italy when I did, you would not come across too many “foreign” food restaurants. And… I am not old: I am “only” 33! Ethnic restaurants (as we call them in Italy) are becoming more and more popular nowadays, so I would say that pretty much everyone has eaten at least Chinese or Indian food once in their life. As a teeneger, I remember eating at a Chinese restaurant probably twice with my school mates, as it was a “cheap” option for us students… but I would always order something “safe”, like chicken stir fry with almonds (not with cashews)! And rice. Fried rice is a dish I have always liked and I still do. I do not put any shrimp in it as nobody in my family likes them, but I found out that making fried rice at home is quite simple and it is a great way to use up all your left over rice! This recipe is for 3, as I make it for my husband, myself and our 2 little girls… feel free to increase the rice quantity to 1 cup for 4 people.
Ingredients (for 3 persons):
¾ cup of uncooked long grain rice
2 tbsp (+1 tsp) vegetable oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
¾ cup peas, frozen
½ cup ham, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
Soy sauce to taste
If you do not have left over rice, you will need to cook your rice first. To get a better and tastier fried rice, it is always better to cook your rice the day before, so the rice won’t absorb too much oil and and the grains will remain separate. Cook the rice and keep aside.
Cook your peas. I use frozen baby peas and I put them in the microwave inside a microwave safe container for a few seconds, to slightly cook them. Keep aside.
In a small non stick frying pan, heat up 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Add the beaten egg and let it set for a minute. Then break it with a wooden spoon. When cooked through put the fire off and keep aside.
In a wok, heat up some vegetable oil, add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 1 minute.
Add the rice and stir well. Add the chopped ham, cooked peas, cooked egg and soy sauce to taste. Stir well and cook for a few minutes, until all the ingredients come together.
Serve warm by itself, or use as a side for any Asian dish.
Mmm! Loving the ham in this rice. As far as I’m concerned, every dish could use a little pork 🙂
I’m glad you’re eating Chinese food now. I love it. Although, I turn my nose up at all the Chinese restaurants in Cayman because they’re not so good. I went to China for two weeks a few years ago and ate REAL Chinese food. It’s turned me into a snob!
I like such rice! Easy, filling and nice dish.
I love the combination of the eggs and ham in there.
i love the palette of colour.. delicious!
I love fried rice. My husband makes it so well!! Its always what I request when he cooks for me!
Quick and delicious! It is the first chinese dish I ever cooked. Then I went to Hong Kong and discovered they don’t really have riso alla cantonese as we mean it in Italy…
HAHAHAHA I guessed as much! I think that the majority of Chinese dishes have been westernised… I wish I could have “real” Chinese!!! 🙂
Well, now we have a lot more ethnic restaurants (even if not as much as other European Countries): most of all Chinese ones, but also Japanese, Arabic, Greek and a lot more!
I made chinese steamed dumplings but I never made homemade riso alla cantonese… I have to make up! 🙂
Manu, I think this looks really good. Lve the addition of the ham!
Your fried rice looks so tasty! I love fried rice and will always try using different ingredients and seasonings every time to compare which is nicer. So far, I’ve never try using ginger paste in my fried rice and that sounds delicious. I shall try your recipe the next time! 😉
Ohhh I would love to have a few more fried rice recipes!! I started using ginger paste in my fried rice after I had fried rice in Fiji… they had put some and I thought it tasted great! 🙂
HI Manu, I know what you mean about foreign foods growing up (although, I am a wee bit older than you ;-); spaghetti was considered exotic! Fortunately for me, my Mom was very adventurous and exposed us to a variety of cultures through food. It must be fried rice day around the world…Ann of Cooking Healthy for Me, posted a fried rice recipe too!
Your fried rice looks divine! Looks very authentic!
Thank you so much Rosie! I hope you are having a great week so far! 🙂
Oh, yummy!!! This looks SO good! I’m going to have to try it out on my family…fingers crossed they’ll love it like I know I will!!!!
I love fried rice. I actually grew up with it. It’s a great way of using up “old” rice and other leftovers.
A great fried rice recipe and yes – a great way to use leftover rice! Love the ham as a substitute for shrimp. BTW – thanks for saying you’re “only” 33!!!! 🙂
Hi Manuela,
I can attest to how difficult it is to get good ethnic food in Italy. I am Asian and now live in Rome. Chinese food is usually very oily here and barely resembles what I know it to be. My husband who is Italian (he has lived in Asia for over 8 years) refuses to eat in a Chinese restaurant here. If we do crave Chinese food, I make it at home. Last month, I went back to Asia and brought some ingredients back. While fried rice with ham is good, it’s out-of-this-world with char siu (roast pork)!
Just looking at the photos on this post is making me hungry 🙂
P.S. My husband loves Indian food too so I am following you on this. He traveled to Indian quite frequently while he was working in Asia and loved the food there!
I have to admit that even I’m Peruvian, I don’t like rice. It’s strange because in Peru all main dishes comes with rice, it’s a must. But fried rice (in “peruvian”: Arroz Chufa) is my favorite way to eat it. And the best thing of this type of rice is that you can add whatever you want…pork, chicken, meet, hot dog…but like you, I cannot add seafood because my kids. Hey, next time you can try to add a touch of sesame oil at the end, it gives a good taste.
That’s such a great idea! I have some sesame oil in the pantry! I will definitely give it a try the next time I make fried rice! Thanks for the great suggestion! 🙂
I am making that tonight. The is so gorgeous and fluffy and I love eggs! Chinese recipes are really one of my all time fav 🙂
Fried rice is one of my favorites – I always have a hard time ordering Chinese, because I love fried rice so much! I usually make mine with chicken! But hubby loves ham!
Manu,you did fantastic…love it. Here in CA it is very popular but your rice looks perfectly yummi:)
http://mywanderingspoon.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/fresh-baby-carrot-cream-soup-and-happy-start-of-the-new-school-year/
Yummmm…
I love fried rice, it is such a life saver and easy recipe.
Look at your perfect perfect, the eggs, the fluffy rice, peas, ham it is a total package….
Wonderful my dear…
Fried rice is so easy to make and my kids love it too, so it’s definitely my weeknite option. =) Best part is you can put carb, veggie, and meat in one dish and on top of that cleaning dishes is a piece of cake that day. 😉
Mmm I love fried rice! And it’s totally one of those things that really is better with leftover rice – a great use for it! I remember visiting Florence with my husband nine years ago (!!!) and for some reason eating Chinese food. The Italian food was way better 😉 In Israel there is no good Chinese food either so I have taken to making my own as well. It’s probably healthier too!
I tend to avoid restaurant fried rice but would happily sit down to a plate of this, Manu. You do such a wonderful job with the Italian food you make. I’m glad you’ve discovered Chinese food and can’t wait to see what Manu-twist you will bring to this cuisine!