Thai Fried Rice
Ingredients
4-5 cups cooked rice, (older works best)3 spring (green) onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
optional:
1 egg
1 fresh red chili
snap peas
other veggies (I used onion and mushroom)
oil for stir-frying
STIR-FRY SAUCE:
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
optional:1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (adjust according to how spicy or mild you want it)
you can also add meat as desired. Cook thoroughly and add when your rice is almost complete, don't add it at the beginning as you could dry the meat out if you cook it too long.
Instructions
Rice Tip: For good-quality fried rice, leftover rice is best - anywhere from several days up to 1 week old. The key is to make the rice as dry as possible. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it out in a large bowl and place uncovered in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) before frying.Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over the rice and gently work it through with your fingers, eliminating any lumps or clumps and separating into individual grains as much as possible. Set aside. Mix all stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a cup. Set aside. Place 2 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry to release the fragrance (1 minute). If adding egg: push the ingredients to the side of the pan and crack in the egg. Quickly stir-fry to scramble. Add the rice, optional veggies, and stir-fry sauce, drizzling it over. Now quickly stir-fry everything together using 2 utensils and a tossing kind of motion (like tossing a salad). The heat should be fairly high, high enough so you hear the rice crackling or popping, but not so high that the bottom of your wok will burn (I keep my dial midway between medium and high). Gently stir-fry until everything is well mixed (1-2 minutes). Add the spring onion and optional meat, continue stir-frying another minute. Remove from heat and do a taste-test. If you prefer it saltier, add 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. more fish or soy sauce and quickly toss. If too salty, add another squeeze of fresh lime juice. Top with the fresh chili (if using) and serve your fried rice immediately with Thai chili sauce on the side if desired.