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I just made my best Char Siu fried rice dish, and I have jotted down enough detail to let me recreate it in future. I always try to get takeaway flavours, and due to being in a rush, I cut all sorts of corners to get today's dish cooked. It worked really well!
If you're well organised, the whole dish can be made in 20 minutes, assuming the rice is already cooked. I always use left-overs from a pork roast dinner. You can pre-cook some pork shoulder steaks, but roasted pork works best. In either case, it should be properly chilled for best results.
I don't use measures for spices and powders, I've just developed a 'feel'. If I were to estimate the amounts used in the rice, it'd be maybe half a teaspoon each of garlic powder and white pepper, and about a quarter teaspoon of five spice. For the pork, it's probably half as much (since the jars are providing the main flavours).
Fish sauce and Maggi seasoning are optional. Maggi seasoning packs a lot of flavour in a small amount, so I end up using less soy sauce, keeping the rice nice and bright. Fish sauce takes some bravery to use, but it doesn't taste the way it smells!
To get takeaway flavours, you have to cut corners. Garlic powder and ground white pepper seem to be significant 'hidden' flavours. The jar sauces are used sparingly, a couple of teaspoons each. However they add a consistent balanced flavours.
The vinegar in the pork mix is important. Any vinegar will do, but rice vinegar is best. The flavours from the jar sauces are brought to life with a little vinegar. Always add towards the end, otherwise the 'tang' evaporates.
My favourite five-spice is a Chinese brand, it has no English branding. The five ingredients are Cinnamon, Galangal, Fennel, Star Aniseed, and Fructus Tsaoko.
I use frozen peas, so I heat them in a pan while frying the rice. They don't take long to soften and cook.
Fry rice in enough oil to lightly coat the grains.
Crack three eggs onto the rice and stir through.
Add garlic powder and white pepper, and a little five spice.
Deglaze the centre of the pan with soy sauce and fish sauce (ratio ~2:1)
Stir through a splash of Maggi seasoning.
Add a finely sliced spring onion.
Add peas.
Chop pork into small cubes or cuboids.
Fry the pork, best to fry fatty bits first.
Add two teaspoons of Char Siu Sauce.
Add two teaspoons of Peking Duck or Hoisin sauce.
Add a little water (e.g. 1 tbsp).
Sprinkle some white pepper and garlic powder.
Stir until sizzling, then stir through sliced spring onion.
Finally add 1 to 2 tbsp of Rice Vinegar.
Stir the pork through the rice and serve!
If you have comments (e.g. if I was too vague about something important), please let me know (kevin@susa.net).