Fried rice is one among my favourite issues to make once I don’t have a lot left within the fridge, I’m brief on time, or I’m craving one thing comforting. It’s additionally a dish my two-year-old loves and constantly eats, so I at all times make an enormous plate and share it with him. A few of my favourite fried rice recipes embrace egg fried rice, soy sauce fried rice, and floor pork fried rice, as a result of they arrive collectively so quick and are satisfying sufficient to function a major dish.

I developed this Sichuan fried rice the opposite day as a result of I had leftover Sui Mi Ya Cai within the fridge. In the event you’ve by no means cooked with it earlier than, Sui Mi Ya Cai is a Sichuan preserved mustard inexperienced that’s well-known for its position in dishes like Dan Dan Noodles and Dry-Fried Inexperienced Beans. It has a salty, evenly candy, deeply savory taste that immediately seasons a dish and makes it extremely aromatic. After getting a packet within the fridge, you’ll discover you don’t want a lot else to construct a wealthy, satisfying dish.

To make the dish, I first sear the bottom beef till deeply browned, then cook dinner the inexperienced beans with Sui Mi Ya Cai to construct a savory base. Subsequent, I fry the eggs with the rice and season all the things with soy sauce and loads of scallions. Lastly, I toss all the things collectively and end the fried rice with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkle of freshly floor Sichuan peppercorn. The mix of beef, inexperienced beans, and Sui Mi Ya Cai is a traditional in Sichuan cooking as a result of the wealthy beef balances the salty preserved greens, whereas the inexperienced beans add freshness and texture. Turning these acquainted flavors into fried rice appears like a pure extension of the unique dish.

Elements

A lot of the elements in Sichuan fried rice are pantry staples for me. 

Floor beef and inexperienced beans: I choose floor meat in fried rice as a result of it cooks rapidly, doesn’t require marinating, and seasons the rice superbly. I used 80% lean floor beef on this recipe, however floor hen and floor pork work simply as properly. I added thinly sliced inexperienced beans to the dish, which is a traditional pairing with sui mi ya cai. They add a recent crunch that contrasts properly with the tender beef. However you too can use a cup of frozen greens to switch it. 

Sui Mi Ya Cai: This Sichuan preserved mustard inexperienced is the signature ingredient. It’s salty, savory, and deeply fragrant. It acts as the first seasoning, including layers of savory, fermented taste with little or no effort.You’ll often discover it in small vacuum-sealed packets at Chinese language grocery shops or on-line. As soon as opened, retailer any leftovers within the fridge.

Different seasonings: I used Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan and add an earthy umami, gentle soy sauce to barely season the rice, toasted sesame oil so as to add nuttiness, and freshly floor Sichuan peppercorn on the finish to provide the dish a vibrant aroma. It provides a delicate tingling sensation that makes the fried rice unmistakably Sichuan.

Day-old jasmine rice: Chilly leftover rice is right as a result of the grains keep separate throughout stir-frying. Recent rice tends to be too moist and might turn out to be sticky.

Oil and aromatics: I used a impartial oil on this recipe, however I additionally advocate utilizing peanut oil on account of its excessive smoking level and the nutty taste you get from it. Scallions are my favourite fragrant ingredient for fried rice as a result of they add perfume and a delicate sweetness with out overpowering the dish.

Easy methods to make Sichuan beef fried rice

The important thing to nice fried rice is to cook dinner every element individually earlier than combining all the things. This ensures the meat develops sear, the inexperienced beans keep crisp, the eggs coat the rice evenly, and the rice has an opportunity to turn out to be evenly toasted.

1. Cook dinner the meat: Brown the bottom beef over excessive warmth till it develops deeply caramelized edges. The secret’s to unfold out the bottom beef in a scorching wok rapidly once you add it, then not transfer it for not less than a minute, to develop the char. Then you may break up the meat into small items. I don’t wait till the meat cooks by means of absolutely, as a result of it should hold cooking after you add the inexperienced beans.

2. Cook dinner the inexperienced beans: Add the inexperienced beans to cook dinner with the meat till they’re crisp-tender, then stir within the ya cai for a fast sear to launch the aroma. Deglazing with Shaoxing wine lifts all of the flavorful browned bits from the wok.

3. Cook dinner the eggs: I like to make use of a beneficiant quantity of oil in a scorching pan, so the eggs fluff up and develop a golden char on the underside. I cook dinner till they’re principally set.

4. Cook dinner the rice: I add the rice onto the runny a part of the egg then break it aside. Stir till each grain is coated with egg earlier than seasoning with soy sauce. Combine within the scallion whites and permit the rice to cook dinner undisturbed for brief intervals so components of it turn out to be evenly toasted and crispy.

5. Toss all the things collectively: Return the meat combination to the wok and toss all the things collectively. 

6. End up and serve: End with toasted sesame oil, scallions, and freshly floor Sichuan peppercorns off the warmth, as a result of sesame oil loses its perfume if cooked with excessive warmth, and the flavour of the Sichuan peppercorns turns into way more muted when cooked. As soon as all the things is mixed, I often style the dish and alter seasoning by sprinkling a bit extra salt or Sichuan peppercorn if wanted.

Easy methods to serve Sichuan fried rice 

I prefer to serve Sichuan fried rice as a whole meal, particularly for lunch, once I’m brief on time. I generally like to extend the inexperienced beans to 1/2 pound, making the dish slightly extra veggie heavy for a balanced meal. For a fast dinner, I would pair it with a fast stir fry or a salad, reminiscent of bok choy and mushroom stir fry or Chinese language coleslaw. For a dinner unfold, I put together a protein dish reminiscent of crispy salmon with ginger soy sauce or Chinese language braised hen with mushrooms (which I typically make forward on the weekend and freeze) and pair with a soup, like vegetarian scorching and bitter soup.

Ceaselessly requested questions

My Sichuan fried rice recipe borrows the traditional mixture of floor meat, inexperienced beans, and Sui Mi Ya Cai from Sichuan dry-fried inexperienced beans, remodeling leftover rice right into a deeply savory one-pan meal that’s prepared in simply 20 minutes.

Cook dinner ModeForestall your display from going darkish

• Warmth 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over excessive warmth till smoking. Add floor beef, unfold together with your spatula into a skinny layer. Let cook dinner with out transferring till the underside is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Then break the meat into small items.

• Add the inexperienced beans. Cook dinner and stir till the inexperienced bean simply begins to melt, 2 to three minutes. Add Sui Mi Ya Cai, stir and cook dinner for an additional 30 seconds. Pour within the Shaoxing wine to deglaze, scraping any brown bits off. Switch all the things to a plate.

• Pour within the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the eggs. Cook dinner till the underside is simply set and the highest is nearly cooked by means of however nonetheless slightly runny. Add the jasmine rice. Cook dinner and stir to interrupt up the rice and coat the rice with eggs. Pour within the soy sauce and stir to combine properly. Add the scallion whites. Preserve cooking, stirring often, till the rice begins to crisp up, 2 to three minutes.

• Add again the meat and inexperienced bean combination. Cook dinner and stir for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

• Flip off the warmth, swirl within the sesame oil, add the scallion greens and sprinkle with Sichuan peppercorn. Stir once more to combine properly. Style the rice and alter seasoning by including one other pinch of salt, if wanted. Switch to serving bowls and serve scorching.

Ingredient Substitution Information

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