Tomato and Chive Omelette

Steak and Chives Fried Rice

My grandfather grows garlic chives in the backyard and gave me a batch to plant. He also cut some extra batches for me to eat right away. Freshly picked chives are so much more tender and fresh than store bought chives. I took leftover skirt steak and a batch of his chives and made a really delicious fried rice. The chives add a garlicky bright taste to the rice that I really enjoy. I’m going to cook it again tomorrow night to get some pics for the blog. Here are some of my tips to cooking delicious fried rice.

Tips on Preparing Fried Rice

1. Use stale cooked rice that has been in the fridge at least over night preferably 2-3 days. When rice is stir fried on conventional home stoves instead of commercial woks, dryer rice doesn’t get as soggy when you start adding the sauces in.
2. Cook your meats, vegetables and scrambled eggs separately to ensure everything is cooked evenly. When it’s time to combine, the rice is the last ingredient to add to the wok.
3. Crank up the heat to high when you add the rice and make sure there’s enough oil in the wok. You want to keep the dish from getting soggy as you add in the soy sauce and other seasonings.
4. In addition to soy sauce (or Maggi’s), a few dashes of fish sauce produces a distinct umami taste that I really enjoy. Be careful to not add too much at once and taste after every mix because fish sauce (if you haven’t caught a whiff) is very very pungent and salty. Sometimes I’ll add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance out the fish sauce.
5. White pepper, a few drops of toasted sesame oil, and chopped scallions can be added at the very end.