FRIED BROWN RICE

INGREDIENTS

4 cups cooked brown rice
8 ounces beef, chicken or pork (225g, cut into small 1/2-inch pieces; if using shrimp, use 70-90 size peeled shrimp)
1 tablespoon water (plus 2 teaspoons hot water, divided)
1 1/2 teaspoons dark mushroom soy sauce (or regular dark soy sauce)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon MSG (totally optional)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 medium onion (about 165g, chopped)
3/4 cup carrots (chopped, fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 cup frozen peas (135g)
1 scallion (chopped)

Brown rice is easy to cook. We have detailed instructions below on How to Make Perfect Brown Rice, either on the stove, or in any rice cooker.
If you are making brown rice fresh the same day, let the cooked rice cool completely before using it. It’s best to transfer the rice from the pot to a sheet pan and fluff it with a fork, so it can dry out and cool simultaneously.
Day-old brown rice also works nicely, as cold rice clumps are drier and easily broken apart in the wok. Simply take the brown rice out of the refrigerator, wet your hands with a little water, and break up any clumps so you have individual rice grains. Rinse your hands with a little more water if rice sticks to your hands.

If using beef, chicken, or pork, add 1 tablespoon water, 1¼ teaspoons dark mushroom soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the meat. Mix until all the liquid is absorbed by the meat to tenderize and add moisture. If you’re using shrimp, just omit the dark mushroom soy sauce.
Next, mix in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and set aside. We made a version with beef, but you can pick any meat of your choosing or go vegetarian with a vegetable fried brown rice.

Mixing your sauce ahead of time is much easier than adding everything individually to a hot wok. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons hot water and ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar until dissolved. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon MSG if using. Set aside.

Heat the wok until just smoking. Spread two tablespoons of vegetable oil evenly around the wok, and add the beaten eggs. Turn the heat down and stir the eggs until scrambled. Transfer back to the same bowl, and set aside.

Heat the wok until smoking. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the marinated meat to the wok. Spread it out in one single layer, and sear for 30 seconds on each side. Scoop it back into the bowl and set aside.

With the heat on high, add the chopped onions to the wok (there should be some oil remaining from searing the meat). Cook until translucent. If using fresh carrots, add them at the same time you add the onions. If using frozen carrots, add them after the onions turn translucent.Continue stir frying until the carrots are heated through.
Add the cooked brown rice. Your heat should be really high at this point to prevent sticking. Use your metal wok spatula to stir-fry the rice, scraping from the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking. This is an essential technique for fried rice.
Once the brown rice is warmed (after 1 to 2 minutes of stir-frying), pour the prepared sauce evenly over the rice. Stir fry for another 1-2 minutes to evenly distribute the sauce.
Add in the seared meat. Spread 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok, and give everything a quick stir.
Next, stir in the scrambled eggs. Then, stir in the frozen peas until heated through. Toss in the chopped scallions and stir fry for another 15 seconds. Use a clean spoon to taste the rice, and re-season with more soy sauce or salt if needed.
Plate and serve immediately.

Rinse 2 cups of brown rice. Add enough water to fill the pot an inch above the level of the rice, and let it soak for at least 20 minutes––ideally 90 minutes or even overnight.
When you are ready to cook the rice, pour off all the soaking water from the pot, leaving only the rice. Add fresh water in the same volume as rice. Since we started with two cups of uncooked rice, we added 2 cups of fresh water.
Cover the pot and put on the stove on high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting and continue to cook, covered, until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes). Turn off the heat, and let your rice sit covered on the stove for another 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Measure out your rice using the cup that came with the rice cooker! These cups are roughly 3/4 of a cup, so using 2 cups results 1½ U.S. standard cups and will yield about 3 3/4 U.S. cups of brown rice. Give your brown rice a good rinse in the rice cooker pot before cooking and drain.
If your rice cooker has a brown rice setting, add enough water up to the water level lines for brown rice. If you added 2 of the rice cooker cups (1½ standard cups), fill the pot with fresh water up to the 2 cup water line.
If your rice cooker does not have a brown rice setting, add water so the water line is slightly above the 2 cup line. It’s also a good idea to let your rice sit in the rice cooker for an additional 10 minutes after it is “done” without opening the rice cooker lid to let it continue cooking inside the pot.
Let the rice sit in the water for at least 20 minutes, but ideally 90 minutes, before pressing the brown rice button (or regular “cook” button).

Note: Cooking time in rice cookers may vary! Prep time includes shortest soaking time (20 monutes), but it can be much longer––ideally 90 minutes.