Recipe: Garlic Fried Rice

Japanese Garlic Fried Rice is available in almost every Japanese restaurant and has its unique aroma and taste. A bowl of delicious garlic fried rice is often simple, contains golden-coloured rice, small chunks of fried egg, topped with spring onions and fried garlic. Garlicky and buttery, this simple Japanese Garlic Fried Rice is one of the go-to rice dishes.  You can also add shrimp or meat to enhance its flavour.

Ingredients (2 – 3 servings):

• 2 ½ cups (450 g) cooked Japanese short-grain rice* (make ahead and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week)
• 10 cloves garlic
• 4 stalks spring onions – diced
• 3 eggs – lightly beaten
• ½ tablespoon salt and black pepper
• Vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

Directions:

1. Cook the Japanese short-grain rice a day earlier and refrigerate overnight to remove excess moisture.
2. Mince the garlic, dice the onions and lightly beat the 3 eggs.
3. Add in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and minced garlic into a heated pan.
4. Fry the garlic at medium-low heat until it turns golden brown.
5. Set aside the fried garlic to drain off any excess oil.
6. To prepare the sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of mirin, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Once done, leave it aside.
7. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a hot pan.
8. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and swirl it around the pan evenly.
9. Separate the eggs into small chunks when it is slightly hard and push the eggs to the side of the pan.
10. Add in an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan and turn up the heat.
11. Add in the rice and stir fry until the grains are separated.
12. Add in salt, some black pepper and some fried garlic then mix well.
13. Then, pour in the sauce prepared earlier and stir fry until it covers all the rice.
14. Finally, toss in the remaining fried garlic and spring onions, and the dish is ready.