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| This looks good, doesn't it? Image from Locky's English Playground |
This looks good, doesn't it? I love rice! Sushi rice is great, it is vinegary and appetizing, but it is a little cold for the Winter. Fried rice on the other hand, is comfy warm and can really stimulate my taste buds with its saltiness and aroma.
But then, how to cook fried rice? It is not easy and you can fail really badly if you do not know the tricks!
Don't worry, here's my recipe of Parma Ham Fried Rice! Feel free to make your own adjustments.
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| Image from Locky's English Playground |
You'll need,
- some eggs,
- some frozen rice,
- ham,
- Parma ham,
- black pepper
- paprika
- crushed red pepper
- (sea) salt
- (pineapple, if available)
If you have pineapple at home, that would be a bonus.
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| Chop chop chop! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 1: cut up the hams into small pieces.
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| Scrambled eggs? Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 2: add oil and fry your scrambled egg. On how to cook scrambled eggs, please read Cooking & Health: How To Cook Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Healthy Oil and Good Wok.
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| White rice, in you go! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 3: microwave your frozen rice at highest power for about 2 minutes and then throw them into the wok / pan. As to why frozen rice is used, that is because when rice is frozen, the moisture /water in the rice turns into ice, it expands, pushing the rice away from each other, allowing each rice grain to be separated from each other and better chewiness. For why does water expand when it freezes, here's a video for you below.
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| Flatten rice balls and stir Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 4: with medium flame, flatten the rice balls with a turner if necessary and then stir the eggs and rice well.
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| Colouring and flavouring time Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 5: sprinkle crushed red pepper, paprika and sea salt, stir again.
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| Hams Galore!! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 6, add the Parma ham and ham, more stirring.
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| Toss frying! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 7, on max flame, toss-fry your food if you want a perfect mix of your ingredients and evaporation of excess moisture. My steps on performing this manoeuvre are
- lift the wok handle and tilt your wok downwards,
- push the wok forward with a thrust and your food will "fly", lower the handle when the food is in jumping in mid-air so that your food will fall back into your wok,
- repeat 1 and 2 until your arm is unusable
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| This is the clue that tells you your fried rice has done right! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Step 8, your rice is ready for serving.
If your wok is as clean as new, it means you have done right. If your wok is stuck with dried overcooked egg patches, your wok has not been heated enough at the scrambled egg step.
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| How to keep your rice warm at all time? Image from Locky's English Playground |
Finally, now that you have cooked such a nice plate of fried rice, you don't want it to get cold, you want it to be warm and comfy with every bite, so the final question is, how to keep it warm at all time?
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| It's just natural! Image from Locky's English Playground |
Well, here's your solution!!! Never guessed that, have you?
Now it's your turn, give it a go yourself!
Vocabulary:
thrust -- [I or T, usually + adv/prep] to push suddenly and strongly:
Cooking & Health: How To Cook Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Healthy Oil and Good Wok http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/07/cooking-health-how-to-cook-perfect.html
Why does water expand when it freezes? - Naked Science Scrapbook @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4GCShGvw-M
