My plan was to post a recipe every Sunday, but of course all good intentions went out the window when I realised it was Father’s Day. Owning a restaurant comes with a lot of challenges, preparing for a national day of celebration is just the tip of the iceberg. But, can’t complain it was a good weekend. Of course this mean’t that my own Father didn’t get to celebrate his Father’s Day until the Monday (don’t worry though, he still got his present). So with that said, I want to take this opportunity to wish the wisest, chattiest man I know the best Father’s Day.

Now, lets get on with this weeks recipe. As with probably most Chefs, I learnt how to cook standing next to my mum Sui. I’m biased, but my mum is the best cook in the world and she’s so proud of her cooking. Nothing makes her happier than feeding people who clearly enjoy her food, she practically glows with it. Mum has an uncanny ability to read a recipe once, or watch a youtube video once and not only remembers the recipe but also knows how to improve on it. Definitely a natural feeder!

Fried rice will always be a great comfort food and the best thing about it? You can add whatever you want to it. It’s great for everyone even vegans and vegetarians. The trick to cooking Chinese food, that I’ve found, is cooking everything in a certain order. For example, if you are making chicken and veg soup say, first thing you put in is the raw chicken, then the raw vegetables like potato’s, carrots, then thinner vegetables such as cabbage etc. But that is a recipe for another day. So with egg fried rice, it’s basically the same concept.

If you have any left over rice from the night before, that would be the best to use (see how to cook rice recipe), as it has cooled down and easier to manage, not as sticky with moisture. You can use just cooked rice but it can be very sticky and hard to manage as this is a dish that needs constant motion during the cooking process.

What you need:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup minced (ground) beef (100g ish)
• Half a chopped Spring onion
• Half a small onion (chopped finely)
• Light Soya Sauce
• Dark Soya Sauce
• 1 Egg (beaten)
• Salt & Pepper

1. First marinate the minced beef with salt, pepper, a touch of light soya sauce, touch of dark soya sauce, teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix well and set aside for the moment.
2. Using a non stick pan (I tend to use a wok but I know most people won’t have one available) on medium to high heat put in about a tablespoon of cooking oil and wait for it to heat up. Just as it’s about to smoke place the finely chopped onions in and cook until translucent. Don’t wait for it to turn brown because you’re going to continue to cook with it. When the onions have just turned translucent add the minced beef. Stir constantly.
3. Cook the minced beef until full browned, should be all separated but don’t worry if it’s not, slightly bigger chunks will add to the flavour and makes for a lovely surprise. Once the beef is cooked, add the rice and turn the heat down to medium low. You’ll then need to add about a teaspoon each of Dark and Light Soya sauce, stir altogether until its all coated.
4. Try the rice first and if you think it needs it, add a pinch of salt and pepper, then make a well in the middle of the pan and pour in the beaten egg, as your pouring you need to stir the egg around to cook. Once the egg has been scrambled you can mix it in with the rice and beef.
5. Finally, add the finely chopped spring onion and stir for about a minute. Then turn off the heat and it’s ready to plate up. I prefer a bowl, that way I can veg in front of the TV in my pajama’s and not have to worry about rice getting everywhere, it’s bliss!

That’s it! If you think it needs a bit more salt, pepper or soya sauce, feel free to add a little. It’s all down to personal taste at the end of the day! I like to add in a bit of Korean Kimchi for an extra bite of chilli and sour.

On a final note, if the rice has stuck to the pan leave it to soak overnight in washing up liquid with a bit of hot water. It should come away in the morning.

Hopefully this has helped. If you have any questions please leave it in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you!

If you’re a vegetarian or a vegan you can substitute the beef with Quorn or Tofu and leave out the egg.

Bon Appetit!