Fried Rice

Fried Rice is an immensely popular and integral element of Chinese and Asian cuisines, as it is a stir-fried rice preparation that complements almost every conceivable main course dish belonging to these cuisines. Essentially, fried rice constitutes steam cooked rice that is subjected to a quick round of stir frying in a wok, with little heated oil, on high heat along with choice of diced vegetables, meat, eggs or more than one of these together with some sauces to bring out characteristic flavours. 

 

As such there can be innumerable variations to the fried rice based on the use of specific ingredients. Under Asian cuisine, the most famous varieties are the Fujian fried rice and Yangzhou.  Regional influences have given rise to the creation of local specialties like the spicy Malaysian Fried Rice. In fact, Americanised Chinese cuisine, to which the fried rice is central, consists of a fusion of scallions, eggs, chopped vegetables and meat flavoured with soy sauce for an authentic taste. Fried rice finds itself on top of the list in take away menus and also as part of street food culture.  

 

 
History
 
Earliest records of fried rice have been documented even as early as 4000 BC with it being declared an irreplaceable component of traditional Chinese cuisine. The fried rice culture then gradually extended to Southeast Asia where a typical local variety of it was created following a different method of preparation and use of slightly different ingredients. This trend caught on with other regions across the world producing their own distinct variations of this hugely popular ‘in demand’ dish. 
 
 
Ingredients and Preparation
 
Inspite of the fact that there exist various varieties of fried rice recipes, the chief elements involved in its preparation include rice, cooking oil and soy sauce.  Many additional ingredients could make their way into the wok ranging from vegetables, meat, the sauces, and eggs. Crackers with fried rice and eggs are a combination found commonly in Indonesian cuisine. 
 
Use of leftover steamed rice and vegetable mixes is common in the preparation of fried rice. This is a more preferred choice as the moisture content in fresh steamed rice would cause the dish to be steamed instead of fried. Oil in a nominal amount is heated in a large wok, seasoned by the use of aromatics such as ginger, garlic before the addition of sliced or chopped onions, scallions, followed by a variety of vegetables such as diced carrots, beans, snow peas, cabbage, peas, corn, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower etc., diced or stripped meat (chicken, pork or beef), eggs boiled or scrambled, seafood like shrimp, prawn spices like crushed peppercorns, soy sauce or sometimes oyster sauce. 
 
The basic fried rice acts as the foundation to more intricate versions. Addition of only vegetables makes it vegetarian or vegetable fried rice. Primary additions of other ingredients such as chicken or shrimp produce the ‘chicken fried rice’ of ‘shrimp fried rice’.  Garnishes popularly used are fried shallots, green portions of scallions and sometimes parsley. 
 
Varieties of Fried Rice
 
The simple fried rice is cooked in oil with a mix of vegetables like peas, beans, carrots and at times some other seasonal vegetables. Meatballs and eggs can also be added to fried rice along with a selection of sauces like soy sauce or oyster mushroom sauce that give it an extra flavor. There are various recipes of fried rice depending upon the cuisine.
 
1. Fujian or Hokkien Fried Rice is a variation of Chinese Fried rice belonging to the Fujian region of China, and consists of a thick sauce that could include vegetables, mushroom and meat etc.
2. Cantonese Fried Rice or Mui Fan is typical dry fried rice.
3. Yangzhou Fried Rice or Yangchow is a famed version of the fried rice served in Chinese style restaurants consisting of shrimp, pork and scrambled eggs; also referred   to as the ‘house fried rice’ or ‘special fried rice’. 
4. Burmese Fried Rice that makes use of fragrant Burmese rice grains simply consisting of onions, peas, garlic, dark soy sauce. 
5. Thai Fried rice or Khao Phad is very unique owing to the use of Jasmine rice, with uncommon flavour additions typically served with sliced cucumber and a spicy sauce of garlic, fish sauce and chilli. 
6. American Fried Rice which uses ketchup and fried eggs or chicken.
7. Nasi Goreng is An Indonesian/Malay version of Fried Rice and the use of sweet soy sauce gives it characteristic flavour. 
8. Curry Fried Rice is a spicier version.
9. Arroz Frito is Cuban Fried Rice 
10. Hawaiian Fried Rice with eggs, onions, peas, cubed carrots, normally made in sesame oil.  It is sometimes served with added Kimchi. 
 
 
Nutritive Value
 
A serving size of ~10 ounces of traditional Chinese Fried Rice would provide-
Total calorie content of 333 calories of which calories from fat are 100.6. 
Total fat is 11.18 g of which saturated fat is 8.2 g and Cholesterol content is 51 mg.  
Sodium content is 652.79 mg and Potassium content is 346 mg.
Total carbohydrate is 51.72 g of which dietary fibre accounts for 6 g and sugar 0 g with the other carbohydrate components making up the rest. 
Protein value is 6.68 g.  
The estimated % calories from fat is 30.1%, from carbohydrates is 61.9 % and from protein is 8 %. 
 
 
Nutritional Improvements
 
1. Use of nutritious greens like spinach, cabbage, scallions, would help increase fibre, vitamin A, K, folic acids, iron, phenolic compounds and deliver anti-cancer benefits along with immune enhancing properties. 
2. A generous sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds to garnish the fried rice would increase B-vitamins, Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron contents.
3. Pomegranate kernels would add visual appeal and supply a rich source of antioxidant nutrients to protect from free radical damage. 
4. As such, the use of plenty of vegetables improves the nutritive value of this dish; use of smaller amounts of lean meats would help keep saturated fat and cholesterol levels low, and use of brown rice or other fibre rich variants; would supply energy and provide a good source of B-vitamins too. 
5. Olive oil in limited amounts for stir frying adds requisite healthier unsaturated fats.