17 Homemade Takeout-Style Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in Chinese fried rice? ›

Here's what goes in Fried Rice Sauce: Chinese cooking wine or Mirin (secret ingredient!) – this is the secret to a really great fried rice that truly stacks up to your favourite Chinese restaurant.

The answer: high heat, expert tosses, and something known as 'wok hei. ' As J. Kenji López-Alt writes for Serious Eats, expert cooking with a wok (and the gas range it requires) is one of the main reasons that fried rice from a Chinese restaurant tastes so much better than what you can make at home.

Yellow Fried Rice is specifically from the U.S. and is not authentic Chinese fried rice. The yellow color comes from food coloring that is added which is optional.

In the case of Chinese fried rice, chefs usually sauté all the vegetables in oil with black pepper and salt. After that, schezwan masala and cooked rice are added. However, in Indian fried rice, vegetables/meat are stirred fried, and then partially cooked rice is added.

Peanut oil: This is a popular choice due to its high smoke point (important for stir-frying) and its slightly nutty flavor that complements many Chinese dishes. Lard: Traditionally used for its richness and savory taste, lard is still used in some restaurants, especially for simple dishes where it adds depth of flavor.

Why is Chinese fried rice so dark? ›

Dark mushroom soy sauce is what gives this fried rice its rich brown/caramel colour. This soy sauce doesn't add much to the saltiness but is used to give dishes that nice caramel brown colour. Dark mushroom soy sauce also adds a hint of umami to a dish, but not much saltiness.

The ingredients used by Chinese chefs to cook dishes are fantastic. Herbs and spices included in Chinese cuisine make each dish taste like heaven. We also can't forget about all the delicious types of sauces that make the dishes mouth-watering.

While vinegar is not a traditional ingredient in most fried rice recipes, some cooks may choose to add it for a few reasons: 1. Flavor enhancement: Vinegar can add a tangy and slightly acidic flavor to the fried rice, which can help balance the overall taste and complement the other ingredients.

Dark mushroom soy sauce is what gives this fried rice its rich brown/caramel colour. This soy sauce doesn't add much to the saltiness but is used to give dishes that nice caramel brown colour. Dark mushroom soy sauce also adds a hint of umami to a dish, but not much saltiness.

We all know soy sauce and MSG play a role in making delicious fried rice, but did you know a secret ingredient hailing from Japan can elevate your homemade fried rice? And that ingredient, while it might not be in your pantry yet, is mirin.

Typically seasoned with soy sauce. In Osaka, fried rice seasoned with Worcestershire sauce is called Sauce Yakimeshi (ソース焼き飯).