Christmas Ham Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups cooked, day-old rice
- 1 ½ cups leftover Christmas ham or bacon, diced
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 cups mixed frozen peas, carrots and corns (or any veggies you prefer), diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1-2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
What Makes a Great Fried Rice?
Use Day-Old Rice: The key to perfect fried rice is using day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and sticky, while day-old rice is firmer and dries out a little, making it easier to fry without clumping together. If you don’t have day-old rice, you can spread freshly cooked rice on a tray to cool and dry out for 15-20 minutes.
High Heat: Fried rice needs to be cooked on high heat to get that crispy texture. A hot pan or wok helps caramelise the rice and gives it a bit of crunch, while also locking in all those flavours.
Vegetables for Colour and Crunch: Add in some colourful vegetables for freshness, crunch, and sweetness. I like to use a mix of frozen peas, carrots, and corn, but you can also use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Capsicum or even mushrooms work great too.
A Good Balance of Seasoning: Soy sauce is a must, but you can also experiment with oyster sauce and sesame oil for that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami flavours.
Add Protein: While leftover ham is a great choice, you can also add a fried egg for extra protein.
Quick and Easy: Fried rice is all about speed. Once everything is prepped and in the pan, it cooks in just a few minutes. It's a great dish when you're looking for something fast but delicious.
Directions
- Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil into a wok or skillet and heat over high until it starts to smoke.
- Add the onion, garlic, and ham into the pan. Stir and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes until the bacon is lightly browned.
- Stir in the vegetables (they can be frozen). Cook for 2 minutes to let them thaw and release any moisture.
- Add in the rice along with your sauce ingredients. Stir for about 1 1/2 minutes, allowing the liquid to evaporate.
- Push the rice to one side of the pan. Drizzle in 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the cleared spot, shifting the pan so the heat focuses on it. Crack in the egg and scramble it fully, making sure it's cooked through.
- Stir the scrambled egg into the rice, sprinkle with green onions, and remove from the heat. Serve right away!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups cooked, day-old rice
- 1 ½ cups leftover Christmas ham or bacon, diced
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 cups mixed frozen peas, carrots and corns (or any veggies you prefer), diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1-2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
What Makes a Great Fried Rice?
Use Day-Old Rice: The key to perfect fried rice is using day-old rice. Freshly cooked rice is too soft and sticky, while day-old rice is firmer and dries out a little, making it easier to fry without clumping together. If you don’t have day-old rice, you can spread freshly cooked rice on a tray to cool and dry out for 15-20 minutes.
High Heat: Fried rice needs to be cooked on high heat to get that crispy texture. A hot pan or wok helps caramelise the rice and gives it a bit of crunch, while also locking in all those flavours.
Vegetables for Colour and Crunch: Add in some colourful vegetables for freshness, crunch, and sweetness. I like to use a mix of frozen peas, carrots, and corn, but you can also use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Capsicum or even mushrooms work great too.
A Good Balance of Seasoning: Soy sauce is a must, but you can also experiment with oyster sauce and sesame oil for that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami flavours.
Add Protein: While leftover ham is a great choice, you can also add a fried egg for extra protein.
Quick and Easy: Fried rice is all about speed. Once everything is prepped and in the pan, it cooks in just a few minutes. It's a great dish when you're looking for something fast but delicious.
Directions
- Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil into a wok or skillet and heat over high until it starts to smoke.
- Add the onion, garlic, and ham into the pan. Stir and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes until the bacon is lightly browned.
- Stir in the vegetables (they can be frozen). Cook for 2 minutes to let them thaw and release any moisture.
- Add in the rice along with your sauce ingredients. Stir for about 1 1/2 minutes, allowing the liquid to evaporate.
- Push the rice to one side of the pan. Drizzle in 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the cleared spot, shifting the pan so the heat focuses on it. Crack in the egg and scramble it fully, making sure it's cooked through.
- Stir the scrambled egg into the rice, sprinkle with green onions, and remove from the heat. Serve right away!
Helpful Tips
Storage
Substitutions
If you don’t have leftover Christmas ham, you can use any type of cooked meat, like roast pork, chicken, bacon or even turkey. If you're looking for a vegetarian option, tofu or tempeh work well too.
Serving Suggestions
Watch How to Make It
