Rice Skillet with Egg
Yesterday's rice is the prerequisite, not the fallback option, as fresh rice turns to mush in the pan.
- Preparation
- 8 min
- Cook/bake time
- 10 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Yesterday's rice is the prerequisite, not the fallback option, as fresh rice turns to mush in the pan. Overnight in the fridge, the starch in the rice changes so that the grains remain separate and take on color. That is why fried rice is a leftover meal all over the world, and why it tastes better than freshly cooked.
Why this works
Freshly cooked rice contains starch in a swollen, soft form and a lot of bound water. If it cools overnight, this starch rearranges itself and partially crystallizes, a process called retrogradation. The grains become firmer, release water, and can be browned individually in the pan instead of sticking together. That is the whole difference. The second point is the heat: The pan must be really hot and must not be overloaded, otherwise the temperature drops below the roasting threshold and the rice steams. And the egg comes in two stages, one part is set separately and folded in so that you have pieces of egg in the rice instead of an even yellow breading.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Loosen rice
Crush the cold clumps of rice with your fingers until all the grains are separate. This takes two minutes and is the most important preparation step: Clumps brown on the outside and remain cold and moist on the inside.
- 2
Set eggs separately
Whisk the eggs, pour them into the hot, oiled pan, and stir them into large soft pieces in twenty seconds. Remove immediately, they will continue to cook later when folded in, and once overcooked, eggs become rubbery.
- 3
Aromatics and rice
Add more oil, fry the garlic, ginger, and the white of the scallions for thirty seconds, then add the rice. Press it flat and let it sit for a minute before stirring, this gives it roasted spots. If there is too much rice at once, work in two batches.
- 4
Combine
Add frozen peas, fry for a minute, then pour the soy sauce along the edge of the pan, where it evaporates briefly and caramelizes instead of just moistening the rice. Fold in the eggs and the green of the scallions, finish with sesame oil and white pepper.
Our best tips
- Rice must be cold and from the day before. Fresh rice contains too much water and turns to mush in the pan, nothing can compensate for that.
