Thread: Fried rice

On Jun 11, 8:41*am, "Dimitri" <Dimitr...@prodigy.net> wrote:
> Well the zip loc veggie bags worked fine to "dry" the cooked rice in the
> fridge.
>
> For me Fried Rice is a catch all with no special recipe - it's what ever I
> seem to have on hand;
>
> Some or all of the following:
[snip list]
>
> YOU?

For a special occasion I like to do a version of Yangchow, the well-
known shrimp version, but yes, whatever's on hand is what most often
determines the fried rice. There are just a few essentials, and I
will not make fried rice if I don't have cold cooked rice, scallions,
and egg.

We have an easy Asian market source of fresh noodles, so chow mein
gets a similar, frequent musgovian approach. Interestingly, (maybe, a
little, to some) a few things seem right for one, wrong for the
other. Egg, for example, is always in our fried rice, never in our
chow mein. Onions (not scallions) are never in the fried rice but
often in chow mein. Same for bean sprouts, never in the rice, almost
essential for the chow mein. But most meats and most veggies can go
in either.

The other main difference between fried rice and chow mein is that I
seldom use any of the sauces or condiments with fried rice. I'll put
the soy sauce, chili sauce, oyster sauce, etc. on the table, not in
the wok. In contrast, I always create a little sauce in the pan for
the chow mein. What kind of sauce varies with the dish's components
and my mood, but for some reason it just seems like it needs it. -
aem

[email protected] wrote:
>The other main difference between fried rice and chow mein is that I
>seldom use any of the sauces or condiments with fried rice. I'll put
>the soy sauce, chili sauce, oyster sauce, etc. on the table, not in
>the wok.

I certainly like my fried rice dry, but think it at least needs soy sauce and
sesame oil for flavor.

>In contrast, I always create a little sauce in the pan for
>the chow mein. What kind of sauce varies with the dish's components
>and my mood, but for some reason it just seems like it needs it. -

How much do these improvised sauces vary? Do you thicken them with corn starch
or water chestnut powder?

Orlando

On Jun 11, 9:44 am, Orlando Enrique Fiol <of...@verizon.net> wrote:
> aem_ag...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >The other main difference between fried rice and chow mein is that I
> >seldom use any of the sauces or condiments with fried rice. I'll put
> >the soy sauce, chili sauce, oyster sauce, etc. on the table, not in
> >the wok.
>
> I certainly like my fried rice dry, but think it at least needs soy sauce and
> sesame oil for flavor.
>
Often I will add a few drops of sesame oil to the egg when I scramble
it in the wok. Sometimes the components of the dish will have had a
little soy added--for example, I might cut up a leftover grilled
chicken thigh and stir fry it briefly with soy and ginger to flavor it
in preparation for the dish.

> >In contrast, I always create a little sauce in the pan for
> >the chow mein. What kind of sauce varies with the dish's components
> >and my mood, but for some reason it just seems like it needs it. -
>
> How much do these improvised sauces vary? Do you thicken them with corn starch
> or water chestnut powder?
>
Most of the time they are nothing special, just the standard soy
sauce, rice wine, garlic and ginger. Sometimes the other components
of the dish will seem to want more--could be black bean sauce, or
oyster sauce, or chile sauce, or even hoisin sauce. Occasionally I'll
have spicy bean curd on hand and I'll stir some of that in
(particularly if the dish will include green beans or long beans, with
which I think it pairs really well). I thicken them with corn starch
about half the time, maybe less. All of this is just personal
preference, not because of any rules or tradition. -aem

On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:41:08 -0700, Dimitri wrote:

> Well the zip loc veggie bags worked fine to "dry" the cooked rice in the
> fridge.
>
> For me Fried Rice is a catch all with no special recipe - it's what ever I
> seem to have on hand;
>
> Some or all of the following:
>
> Cabbage
> Napa
> Carrot
> Peas
> Celery
> Bok Choy
> Onion
> Green Onion
> Scallion
> Mexican Onion
> Egg
> Meat
> No Meat
> Kitchen sink
> Rice of course.
> Sesame seeds
> Garlic
> Ginger
> cauliflower
> Broccoli
> green beans
>
> Oil (vegetable not OO).
>
> for seasoning; (some or all)
>
> Rice vinegar
> sesame oil
> sugar
> Soy (any kind)
> ginger (above too)
> molasses
> honey
> 5 spice
> Kitchen cabinet.
>
> YOU?
>
> Dimitri

Sounds pretty darn good. What is Mexican onion?

jay

aem <[email protected]> writes:

> Same for bean sprouts, never in the rice, almost
> essential for the chow mein.......

Wow! I thought I was the only one who insists on bean sprouts in my
chow mein.

Bean sprout-based chow mein used to be the norm. When I was a kid,
every dish of chow mein from every Chinese restaurant I ever ate at,
and there were many, was basically bean sprouts and other great
veggies --water chestnuts, snow peas, onions, baby corn, etc-- dished
over crispy fried noodles. Later, as an adult, when I moved to the
SFBA, the largest Chinese population on the West Coast, I never saw a
bean sprout ever again. Chow mein was now always pan fried noodles
(basically limp greasy spaghetti) with a few (very few!) veggies mixed
in. If I even mentioned bean sprouts, the resto ppl looked at me like
I'd ordered bbq'd baby lips! What the Hell happened?

I thought is was all me. One of the largest newsgroup threads I ever
instigated was on ba.food and was about chow mein. I argued tooth and
nail for days against an overwhelming majority who claimed chow mein
IS ALWAYS pan fried noodles. Chow mein means noodles in Chinese, yada
yada. I even went to old restos I knew as a kid, if they still existed.
Nary a bean sprout in sight. I began to doubt my sanity.

I finally found one lone restaurant, where my dad lives, that still
serves bean sprout chow mein over crispy noodles. I am vindicated!
One other questionable source still does that particular combination.
Unfortunately, it's canned. Yes, Chung King! Ick.

Now, if I want it my way with my beloved bean sprouts, I gotta make my
own ...and I do.

nb

On Jun 11, 11:00*am, not...@bb.nothome.com wrote:
> aem <aem_ag...@yahoo.com> writes:
> > Same for bean sprouts, never in the rice, almost
> > essential for the chow mein.......
>
> Wow! *I thought I was the only one who insists on bean sprouts in my
> chow mein. *
>
> Bean sprout-based chow mein used to be the norm. *When I was a kid,
> every dish of chow mein from every Chinese restaurant I ever ate at,
> and there were many, was basically bean sprouts and other great
> veggies --water chestnuts, snow peas, onions, baby corn, etc-- dished
> over crispy fried noodles. *Later, as an adult, when I moved to the
> SFBA, the largest Chinese population on the West Coast, I never saw a
> bean sprout ever again. *Chow mein was now always pan fried noodles
> (basically limp greasy spaghetti) with a few (very few!) veggies mixed
> in. *If I even mentioned bean sprouts, the resto ppl looked at me like
> I'd ordered bbq'd baby lips! *What the Hell happened?
>
> I thought is was all me. *One of the largest newsgroup threads I ever
> instigated was on ba.food and was about chow mein. *I argued tooth and
> nail for days against an overwhelming majority who claimed chow mein
> IS ALWAYS pan fried noodles. *Chow mein means noodles in Chinese, yada
> yada. *I even went to old restos I knew as a kid, if they still existed..
> Nary a bean sprout in sight. *I began to doubt my sanity.
>
> I finally found one lone restaurant, where my dad lives, that still
> serves bean sprout chow mein over crispy noodles. *I am vindicated!
> One other questionable source still does that particular combination.
> Unfortunately, it's canned. *Yes, Chung King! *Ick. *
>
> Now, if I want it my way with my beloved bean sprouts, I gotta make my
> own ...and I do. *
>
I'm not sure what you're saying. Chow mein is stirfried noodles, and
I like bean sprouts as one of the ingredients. The noodles are still
the thing (and they're not limp spaghetti, either). Do you mean that
restaurants up there exclude bean sprouts from chow mein? I don't
know what they do here in SoCal because I never order chow mein out.

One home version, seldom seen in restaurants as far as I know, is what
we used to call "pancake" noodles. You stir fry all your meat and
veggie ingredients and reserve. You boil the noodles and then put
them in a pan in hot oil and let them develop a fried consistency on
the bottom -- a little crustiness -- then you flip them and do the
same on the second side. Slide onto a platter, top with the stirfry.
Cut with a knife to serve. I'm sure there is a restaurant out there
that serves this, but I don't know what they call it. -aem

On Jun 11, 10:16*am, jay <jay...@cantcook.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:41:08 -0700, Dimitri wrote:
> > Well the zip loc veggie bags worked fine to "dry" the cooked rice in the
> > fridge.
>
> > For me Fried Rice is a catch all with no special recipe - it's what ever I
> > seem to have on hand;
>
> > Some or all of the following:
>
> > Cabbage
> > Napa
> > Carrot
> > Peas
> > Celery
> > Bok Choy
> > Onion
> > Green Onion
> > Scallion
> > Mexican Onion
> > Egg
> > Meat
> > No Meat
> > Kitchen sink
> > Rice of course.
> > Sesame seeds
> > Garlic
> > Ginger
> > cauliflower
> > Broccoli
> > green beans
>
> > Oil (vegetable not OO).
>
> > for seasoning; (some or all)
>
> > Rice vinegar
> > sesame oil
> > sugar
> > Soy (any kind)
> > ginger (above too)
> > molasses
> > honey
> > 5 spice
> > Kitchen cabinet.
>
> > YOU?
>
> > Dimitri
>
> Sounds pretty darn good. *What is Mexican onion?
>
> jay

it's a scallion with the white part being the size of a radish, and is
used in the same manner a regular scallions.

harriet & critters in azusa, ca

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
On Jun 11, 10:16 am, jay <jay...@cantcook.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:41:08 -0700, Dimitri wrote:
> > Well the zip loc veggie bags worked fine to "dry" the cooked rice in the
> > fridge.
>
> > For me Fried Rice is a catch all with no special recipe - it's what ever
> > I
> > seem to have on hand;
>
> > Some or all of the following:
>
> > Cabbage
> > Napa
> > Carrot
> > Peas
> > Celery
> > Bok Choy
> > Onion
> > Green Onion
> > Scallion
> > Mexican Onion
> > Egg
> > Meat
> > No Meat
> > Kitchen sink
> > Rice of course.
> > Sesame seeds
> > Garlic
> > Ginger
> > cauliflower
> > Broccoli
> > green beans
>
> > Oil (vegetable not OO).
>
> > for seasoning; (some or all)
>
> > Rice vinegar
> > sesame oil
> > sugar
> > Soy (any kind)
> > ginger (above too)
> > molasses
> > honey
> > 5 spice
> > Kitchen cabinet.
>
> > YOU?
>
> > Dimitri
>
> Sounds pretty darn good. What is Mexican onion?
>
> jay

it's a scallion with the white part being the size of a radish, and is
used in the same manner a regular scallions.

harriet & critters in azusa, ca

Yep - here is So CAL they are labeled Mexican onions.

http://www.marquezproduce.net/images...ICAN_ONION.jpg

Dimitri

[email protected] wrote:
>Most of the time they are nothing special, just the standard soy
>sauce, rice wine, garlic and ginger. Sometimes the other components
>of the dish will seem to want more--could be black bean sauce, or
>oyster sauce, or chile sauce, or even hoisin sauce. Occasionally I'll
>have spicy bean curd on hand and I'll stir some of that in
>(particularly if the dish will include green beans or long beans, with
>which I think it pairs really well). I thicken them with corn starch
>about half the time, maybe less.

What more can you tell me about the spicy bean curd? Where do you get it, how
does it naturally appear, how does it taste, etc.?

Orlando

aem <[email protected]> writes:


> I'm not sure what you're saying. Chow mein is stirfried
> noodles.....

Nevermind

[email protected] wrote:
> aem <[email protected]> writes:
>
>> Same for bean sprouts, never in the rice, almost
>> essential for the chow mein.......
>
> Wow! I thought I was the only one who insists on bean sprouts in my
> chow mein.
>
> Bean sprout-based chow mein used to be the norm. When I was a kid,
> every dish of chow mein from every Chinese restaurant I ever ate at,
> and there were many, was basically bean sprouts and other great
> veggies --water chestnuts, snow peas, onions, baby corn, etc-- dished
> over crispy fried noodles. Later, as an adult, when I moved to the
> SFBA, the largest Chinese population on the West Coast, I never saw a
> bean sprout ever again. Chow mein was now always pan fried noodles
> (basically limp greasy spaghetti) with a few (very few!) veggies mixed
> in. If I even mentioned bean sprouts, the resto ppl looked at me like
> I'd ordered bbq'd baby lips! What the Hell happened?
>
> I thought is was all me. One of the largest newsgroup threads I ever
> instigated was on ba.food and was about chow mein. I argued tooth and
> nail for days against an overwhelming majority who claimed chow mein
> IS ALWAYS pan fried noodles. Chow mein means noodles in Chinese, yada
> yada. I even went to old restos I knew as a kid, if they still existed.
> Nary a bean sprout in sight. I began to doubt my sanity.
>
> I finally found one lone restaurant, where my dad lives, that still
> serves bean sprout chow mein over crispy noodles. I am vindicated!
> One other questionable source still does that particular combination.
> Unfortunately, it's canned. Yes, Chung King! Ick.
>
> Now, if I want it my way with my beloved bean sprouts, I gotta make my
> own ...and I do.
>
> nb

This is how I recall chow mein as well - vegetables (with bean sprouts)
over crispy noodles. I live on the east coast though and I know Chinese
food is way different over here.

We used to get sub gum chow mein. I think it just meant the vegetables
were diced instead of thinly sliced. I really don't know. It's what we
(my family) always got along with a poo-poo platter and pork fried rice.
It was a long time before I realized that chinese food was more than
chow mein.

Tracy

Tracy <[email protected]> writes:


> This is how I recall chow mein as well - vegetables (with bean
> sprouts) over crispy noodles. I live on the east coast though and I
> know Chinese food is way different over here.

It's all different here, too. I know damn well that was the norm in
CAs Central Valley back in the 50s. Also with the famous Frank Fat's
in Sacramento as late as the early 70s. No more. Now, all those
exotic veggies, including sprouts, are pricey as heck and what
restaurant would serve them when they can foist off greasy ramen
noodles to clueless youngsters at a tenth the cost.

The only one I know of, now, is the Kowloon Chinese Restaurant in
Visalia, CA. They even ask. "Pan fried or crispy noodles?" The
"crispy" is all stir-fried sprouts and fresh veggies piled on top of a
nest of crunchy noodles, just like when I was a kid. Yum!

nb

>
> > Sounds pretty darn good. What is Mexican onion?
>
> > jay
>
> it's a scallion with the white part being the size of a radish, and is
> used in the same manner a regular scallions.
>
> harriet & critters in azusa, ca
>
> Yep - here is So CAL they are labeled Mexican onions.
>
> http://www.marquezproduce.net/images...ICAN_ONION.jpg
>
> Dimitri

all this talk of cooking chinese at home. i believe i'll make a trip
to one of the asian markets here in the san gabriel valley and get
some fresh noodles. (as many asian markets as there are latino
markets..just depends on what part of the san gabriel valley you're
in).

harriet & critters in azusa, ca (15 miles east of pasadena, ca)

[email protected] wrote:
> Tracy <[email protected]> writes:
>
>
>> This is how I recall chow mein as well - vegetables (with bean
>> sprouts) over crispy noodles. I live on the east coast though and I
>> know Chinese food is way different over here.
>
> It's all different here, too. I know damn well that was the norm in
> CAs Central Valley back in the 50s. Also with the famous Frank Fat's
> in Sacramento as late as the early 70s. No more. Now, all those
> exotic veggies, including sprouts, are pricey as heck and what
> restaurant would serve them when they can foist off greasy ramen
> noodles to clueless youngsters at a tenth the cost.

Not sure sprouts could be called exotic or expensive. They currently go
for ~$0.50/lb in the produce section of a number of markets I know.

The one place they are really common is at pho restaurants. I go to a
couple different restaurants and they always bring out a big dish of
sprouts with some Thai basil and some sliced hot peppers.

> The only one I know of, now, is the Kowloon Chinese Restaurant in
> Visalia, CA. They even ask. "Pan fried or crispy noodles?" The
> "crispy" is all stir-fried sprouts and fresh veggies piled on top of a
> nest of crunchy noodles, just like when I was a kid. Yum!
>
> nb

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>
>>
>> > Sounds pretty darn good. What is Mexican onion?
>>
>> > jay
>>
>> it's a scallion with the white part being the size of a radish, and is
>> used in the same manner a regular scallions.
>>
>> harriet & critters in azusa, ca
>>
>> Yep - here is So CAL they are labeled Mexican onions.
>>
>> http://www.marquezproduce.net/images...ICAN_ONION.jpg
>>
>> Dimitri
>
> all this talk of cooking chinese at home. i believe i'll make a trip
> to one of the asian markets here in the san gabriel valley and get
> some fresh noodles. (as many asian markets as there are latino
> markets..just depends on what part of the san gabriel valley you're
> in).
>
> harriet & critters in azusa, ca (15 miles east of pasadena, ca)

There are some unbelievable markets and restaurants in the SGV as well as
the area below Diamond Bar at the junction of the 57 & 60.

Damn lady I'm drooling.....

Dimitri

On Jun 11, 11:51*am, Orlando Enrique Fiol <of...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> What more can you tell me about the spicy bean curd? Where do you get it,how
> does it naturally appear, how does it taste, etc.?
>
It's fermented bean curd (tofu), sometimes called bean curd cheese.
Comes in small jars or cans in a few different forms. Fermented by
itself, fermented with chili, or with rice wine and salt. I get the
second form but don't happen to have any right now so I can't describe
the jar's label for you. Ask for spicy fermented dow fu. -aem

Dimitri wrote:
> Well the zip loc veggie bags worked fine to "dry" the cooked rice in
> the fridge.
>
> For me Fried Rice is a catch all with no special recipe - it's what
> ever I seem to have on hand;
>
> Some or all of the following:
>
> Cabbage
> Napa
> Carrot
> Peas
> Celery
> Bok Choy
> Onion
> Green Onion
> Scallion
> Mexican Onion
> Egg
> Meat
> No Meat
> Kitchen sink
> Rice of course.
> Sesame seeds
> Garlic
> Ginger
> cauliflower
> Broccoli
> green beans
>
> Oil (vegetable not OO).
>
> for seasoning; (some or all)
>
> Rice vinegar
> sesame oil
> sugar
> Soy (any kind)
> ginger (above too)
> molasses
> honey
> 5 spice
> Kitchen cabinet.
>
> YOU?
>
> Dimitri

Day old rice, soy sauce, scallions, bean sprouts, eggs. Sometimes I add
shrimp, pork or chicken.


Becca

[email protected] wrote:
>It's fermented bean curd (tofu), sometimes called bean curd cheese.
>Comes in small jars or cans in a few different forms. Fermented by
>itself, fermented with chili, or with rice wine and salt. I get the
>second form but don't happen to have any right now so I can't describe
>the jar's label for you. Ask for spicy fermented dow fu. -aem

I think I'd like both forms and have probably eaten it in Sechuan restaurant
dishes without explicitly identifying it. I hear it's a Sechuan staple.

Orlando

[email protected] wrote:
>Day old rice, soy sauce, scallions, bean sprouts, eggs. Sometimes I add
>shrimp, pork or chicken.

Because of South Beach, we're really getting good at doing it wirh brown rice.
I like chiles or chile garlic paste in mine as well as a smattering of ground
nuts, bean sprouts, leftover meat, egg, scallion, Sechuan peppercorns and other
stuff depending on mood.

Orlando