Absolutely the best fried rice IN THE WORLD. According to our family.
Ingredients
1/2cupyellow or white onion, chopped
2cupscabbage, thinly sliced
1 1/2cupsham, chopped
4tablespoonsunsalted butter
2tablespoonsolive oil
Salt and pepper
7cupscooked sticky Japanese pearl rice, cooled
Soy sauce
1/2bunch green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
Instructions
In a large nonstick pan, cook vegetables, one at a time, in a small amount of butter and oil. Use about 1 teaspoon of butter and oil for each vegetable. Salt and pepper vegetables while cooking. In the same pan, brown the ham. Transfer ham and vegetables to a bowl or plate.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to the nonstick pan. Over medium heat, add the cooked and cooled rice, a little at a time, breaking apart clumps with two wooden spoons, until the rice is evenly distributed in the pan and the butter is mixed in well.
Add the vegetables and ham to the rice. Toss lightly. Season again with freshly ground pepper. Add soy sauce, a little at a time. Salt and pepper to taste. When the fried rice is heated through, stir in green onions. Remove from heat and place in a serving dish.
Notes
My mother’s tips to the best fried rice:
Make sure the rice is cooked and cooled completely before making fried rice. It is best to cook the rice early in the day or the day before. Hot rice used in fried rice will result in a sticky, gummy mess.
Use Japanese (or pearl) rice, which is short and plump, not long grain rice.
Make sure to cook the vegetables separately.
When combining the rice with the other ingredients, do not stir. Toss the ingredients lightly, like you would a salad.
Don’t drown the rice in soy sauce. Use 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce to 7 cups of cooked rice.
If you are lucky enough to have leftover fried rice, try making a fried rice omelet (Omurice in Japan). It’s one of my kids’ favorite breakfast meals!