Stop Overthinking Fried Rice
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This video uses the traditional steaming method to prepare fried rice, albeit using a little ‘hack’ that we thought up to easily port the …
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Hey guys, a few notes:
1. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: Jasmine rice is apparently categorized as a long grain rice, not medium grain. I'd always thought of it as 'medium', as it behaves quite differently to other long grain rices like Basmati, and much closer to something like Calrose (which is a medium grain). While this might feel like a small mix-up, that quick suggestion of "or any medium grain rice" MIGHT lead to issues, as apparently risotto rices are also technically categorized as 'medium'… and would unequivocally not work, as those are unpolished rices. What I can tell you with confidence is that both Jasmine rice and Calrose rice will work for this method 🙂
2. I know that this is our… nth video on Fried Rice. Apologies, we just wanted to have a good 101 sort of video out there that (1) used the steaming method together with (2) our ‘made for the western kitchen’ strainer hack. Something I could send people on /r/askculinary or whatnot if they’re struggling with fried rice. Previously, the strainer thing was sort of hidden inside of our Western Fried Rice video, which was a fun one but not really the best introduction to the technique.
3. The downside to steaming in a fine mesh strainer is that you do have an upper limit on portion size. 230g of rice is a pretty respectable quantity (and I’d gather you could probably push it to ~280g depending on your strainer?), but to get those huge extended family sized quantities you would want to invest in one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Anti-Scald-Steamed-Restaurant-Steamer/dp/B08CN68PBM
4. We went over steaming rice in a steaming basket before (here: https://youtu.be/XjHQoYAp9I0 ), but to be completely honest, I personally haven’t looked back ever since we slapped together this strainer hack. I just… really really dislike having to wash the starchy rice cloth after steaming.
5. One of the nice things about using steamed rice over leftover rice is just how quickly everything comes together. With leftover rice, you really need to work to break up the clumps (I know some people ‘pre-break-up’ the rice, but we find that really runs the risk of breaking the grains themselves).
6. Quick heads up, I might have been slightly guilty of doing the ‘recipe writer underestimates timing’ thing with the 30 minutes. If you’re firing on all cylinders, efficiently moving from one step to the next… it could be done in 30 minutes. In the real world where you’re making a couple other dishes, listening to music, having a couple beers? Timed myself the other day – probably more like 40-45.
7. Oh, I know I might've triggered some people dumping the rice boiling water down the drain haha. In some places in China (Sichuan for sure, but elsewhere too I think?), people will keep the water, season it, and drink it as a soup… which's called 米汤. Alternatively, if you have plants, rice boiling water is fantastic to water plants with (let it cool down first of course!). I just wanted to keep this video as tight as possible, and we ended up cutting out a small aside on the topic.
The next video – an intense primer on seitan making, including a couple different recipes – is still in the works (cutting it tomorrow). Just sort of wanted to get this one off our chests first 🙂
par boil is def a good tip, i tried this before with just steaming, it took forever
Just found this channel cuz I was looking up how to make my own 5 spice mix, definitively subscribing and can't wait to dig in more and recreate some of this recipes!
this channel: using colander in rice cooking process
*angry uncle roger noises
NEVER!!!
Is there a vegan version of the Guaihadan ?
Learned so much from you. Going to try this next
The finger in the thumbnail is totally burned, made by somebody who doesn't actually cook
I just made my first fried rice using the steaming method and some rawit peppers and i loved it! Thank you so much for these tips!
where is the wok hei – the soul of fried rice?
thank you. The point of fried rice is to use leftovers
I just hope for an Uncle Roger reply to your video!
People watch uncle roger too much. Fried rice is so versatile, you can cook it anyway u want. The most important thing is to use whatever left over u have the night before. 😂.
Thank you so much for making things easy. And MSG is perfectly alright to use in our cooking. It's just western propaganda.
Why use msg at all? No need for it.
0:24 "One metric cup"
I'm pretty sure cups aren't metric
Just buy a rice cooker
Could you do this with Cuban style yellow rice cooked in a ricecooker left in the fridge overnight?
Have tried this method. It works fine but overnight rice still works better for me.
You call that not overthinking? Can you take more efforts just to cook rice?
This is the worst title for this recipe "Stop overthinking" – HAHAHA bro u legt par boiled and then steamed yor rice. How is that not overthinking and then making it more complicated than it needs to be? just cook some rice in a pot. Why lure people in with a simple fried rice and then make this weird rice?
It is 100% easier to simmer the rice after washing in about a 2:3 ratio – how is that complicated?
Use a rice cooker.
fried rice is supposed to be simple.
its a way of using leftover rice.
toss it together with whatever is left in your fridge as well. some seasoning done.
finally someone who doesn't use strainer to wash the rice!!!! thank you!!!
Totally agree with your approach! 🙂 I eat fried rice weekly, made from leftover rice and veggies on fridays. The whole internet debate is entertaining, but definitely overthinking this easy and great dish 😀
Uncle Roger is going to have a field day with this video: colander, no day old rice and induction stove
What is a "Metric Cup?"
3:53 you need to learn the word “of”.
Uncle Roger has entered the chat
I really like this because in my household we rarely have rice leftovers.
You do not need a wok but definitely need a bigger pan. That much rice in that small of a pan, all you were doing was heating it, hardly frying it.
omg no, buy rice cooker, what you doin???
calendar?? HYIAAAA
Fried rice nowadays has the same problem as Pizza, it was originally a comfor food to use up leftovers, but somehow became on of the most gatekeeped dishes. Its stupid, do whatever you want with your own (I hate pineapple pizza though)
We need uncle roger's viewpoint on this!
Uncle roger triggered 😂
Leaving your rice in the fridge for two hours and cooking it in a rice cooker with a little bit less water is also completely fine and easy
I thought you were going to include ideas for ingredients beyond scallion and egg? I watched the video twice, so I don’t think I missed it.
For me fried rice is what you do with old rice and leftover bits, for dinner when you have no clue what to eat!
Thanks to this video, I just made my first batch of fried rice that I am proud of and am excited to share with people. The steamed rice trick worked great – individual grains perfectly cooked. I was always hesitant to put sugar and MSG in cooking, but it is like magic in this dish.
Cooking rice, with strainer. Uncle roger gonna be mad at you! Haiyaaaaa, where your rice cooker?
Ayo wtf is that overcomplicated method to cook rice?
Just put rice in a pot with some water (use ancestral asian finger method to measure water).
Then put it on high fire, once water evaporates (small holes are formed and it looks like the oles you do with chop sticks), put it on low fire with a lid on.
Edit: or use a rice cooker if you have one
COLANDER?!? WTF? THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT UNCLE ROGER APPROVED.
I always learn something, thank you!!!