Karl’s Restaurant Style Stir Fried Rice

I’m making a simple broiled salmon—with just a little lemon juice and salt—for a weeknight meal, but I wanted something more than plain rice to go with it. I had some left over rice in the refrigerator, so I thought that fried rice would be nice. Tonight I decided to try to make it like Chinese restaurant rice with the finely diced vegetables.

Karl’s Restaurant Style Stir Fried Rice

Do not use fresh rice for a stir fry as it has a damp, starchy surface that will grab onto the pan and not let go. Do not use a lot of oil and you want a pan that is either really non stick or one that you can use metal tools on. Here is a description of how the restaurants do it.

Karl’s Restaurant Style Stir Fried Rice

Ingredients

2 Tbs. peanut oil, separate uses
1 ½ cups cold dry cooked rice
1-2 Tbs. soy sauce
¼ tsp. Kosher salt

¼ cup carrot, ⅜ inch dice
¼ cup celery, ⅜ inch dice

¼ cup sugar snap peas, ⅜ inch sliced crosswise
¼ cup green onion, sliced finely
1-2 slices of Canadian bacon, cut into matchsticks (replace with slivered firm tofu for Vegan)

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp. fresh ginger, slivered

Directions

1. Put one tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan or cast iron skillet and add the cold rice.

2. Toss the rice to coat it lightly with the oil.

3. Turn the heat to your highest setting and stir fry the rice for several minutes, keeping it in constant movement.

4. Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice and add the salt.

5. Continue stir frying for another 3-4 minutes.

6. Transfer the rice to a bowl and add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan.

7. When the oil is hot add the carrots and celery.

8. Stir fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.

9. Add the peas, onions, and bacon, constantly stir frying for another 2-3 minutes.

10. Pull the contents of the pan to the edges and saute the garlic in the hole in the center until fragrant, about one minute.

11. Return the rice to the pan and add the ginger.

12. Toss to mix all of the ingredients and re-warm the rice.

13. Transfer the stir fried rice to a bowl and serve warm.