Get Together Rice

This is proper wok-fried rice with a technique that actually works: boil the rice, drain it, toss it with oil, then stir-fry it screaming hot. The corn oil coating keeps the grains separate so they fry individually instead of clumping into a sticky mass.

The layered stir-fry method here is spot on. Onions go first, then scallions, then ham and vegetables, and finally the rice. Each addition hits the hot pan at the right moment so nothing overcooks. The egg gets cracked directly into a well in the center of the pan, scrambled quickly, then mixed into everything. Same goes for the soy sauce: poured into a cleared spot so it sizzles and caramelizes before getting tossed through.

Snow peas and fresh bean sprouts keep things crisp and green. They only need a few minutes in the wok, so the vegetables still have real crunch when you eat.

Pro Tips

• The wok or pan must be genuinely smoking hot before the peanut oil goes in. That high heat is what gives fried rice its slightly charred, smoky flavor.
• Dice everything small and uniform. In a quick stir-fry, uneven pieces mean some are raw while others are overdone.
• Don’t skip the sugar in the soy sauce mixture. It balances the salt and helps the rice get a faint caramel color.

Variations

• Shrimp fried rice: Replace the ham with peeled shrimp tossed in at the same stage for a seafood version.
• Vegetable only: Drop the ham entirely and add diced bell pepper and edamame for a vegetarian stir-fry.