FRIED RICE
Ken Hom, Chinese cooking authority and author of Easy Family Recipes from a Chinese-American Childhood, makes these points about cooking authentic fried rice:
o “The cooked rice should be thoroughly cool, preferably cold. Once it is cooled, much of the moisture in the rice evaporates, allowing the oil to coat the dry grains and keep them from sticking.” (Make the rice a day ahead and store it in the fridge until you’re ready for it.)
o “Never put soy sauce in fried rice. This not only colors the rice unnaturally but makes it too salty. Any moisture will make the rice gummy. Fried rice should be quite dry.”
o “Always be sure the oil is hot enough to avoid saturating the rice. Saturated rice is greasy and heavy. The finished fried rice should have a wonderful smoky flavor.”
