How to get the typical fried rice flavor?

The color mostly comes from soy sauce but you must be careful to not over sauce the dish. As you aware, soy is salty.

I've been making fried rice for years and the version that comes closest to restaurant style uses a seasoning combination of ( 2 tbs soy, 1 tbs sherry and a pinch of sugar). This combination came from a Mandarin Chinese cookbook I own. The cookbook points out that the Chinese actually use a fortified wine and that sherry is a very close approximation of the original.

You need an oil with a high smoke point (corn, canola, peanut, soy). No extra virgin olive oil.

In terms of eggs, there are 2 schools of thought (even in China). 1) Stir egg into rice and cook. 2) Cook egg separately and add to fried rice. I prefer the 2nd option for one good reason. When I add the sauce toward the end, I season the rice and stir and then add the egg last. The egg is not flavored with soy by doing it this way.

I have found that day old rice works the best or at least using rice that I have let dry out a bit works best.

On a medium-high heat use peanut oil to saute yellow onion and carrots. After they are tender I add peas cook for a couple of minutes then add scrambled egg and mix well. Now add rice, make sure there is enough oil to coat the rice and cook until the rice is hot. Add a good soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken or beef stock.

If you want to add meat, cook before the vegetables and remove. Add back in before adding the sauce.

The answer is to add more fat (combination of oil and butter) and salt, in the form of soy or msg. The recipes are a healthier version just not as tasty as the take out. Cook the veggies, meat and garlic in the oil butter mix, add the rice and soy sauce when they are still crisp/tender for texture. I pour the egg mixture at the last second, turn of the heat and stir through for extra moisture.

Gerry, you have answered your own question, because your used to the Americanized version, travel to Hong Kong or even Thailand, the fried rice isn't that deep yellow or light brown color, it looks like the plain rice your talking about. Sure you can add butter in your wok and constantly stir your rice, add soy sauce, add your chopped green onion and whatever else you want, and slowly add your egg mixing well.

A very simple way to get this flavour is to sautée boiled rice with olive oil and garlic; you just peel a clove, slice it in two, remove the green root in the middle of it, and throw it in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil. Once the clove is toasted, add the rice and stir for about 5 minutes. Note that the rice has to be 'al dente', that is, not sticky but loose. Of course, you can improve this recipe by adding as many veggies or toppings as you like; a particular favourite of mine is with shrimp and eggs.

Here try this recipe for fried rice:

http://recipesforrice.com/fried-rice-recipe/

You will love this fast fried rice Recipe; it’s just like the fried rice you get at your favorite oriental restaurant. A couple of eggs, rice, peas, carrots and soy sauce are all you need.

Information:

8 Average Size Servings

8 Grams of Fat

263 Calories per Serving

Ingredients you will need:

2 cups of long grain rice (jasmine rice is preferable)

4 cups water

¼ cup corn (optional)

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2/3 cup chopped baby carrots

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Soy sauce to taste

2 eggs

Sesame seed oil, to taste (optional) ******************

Oyster sauce, to taste (optional) **********************

Thai fried rice uses jasmine rice which is a much more fragrant rice than the long grain rice used in most Chinese fried rice dishes.

Fried rice is a way to use up leftover rice.

The secret is in the hot wok, using peanut oil.

Add chopped green onion & mushrooms.

Traditionally, they always add an egg.

first saute veggies in sesame and olive oil. use peas, carrots, red onion, green onion, garlic, bean sprouts. in the middle of saute process ad a little reduced sodium soy sauce. then add brown rice (use steam in the bag to consume less time). crack egg(s) on top and mix well. add more soy sauce until rice fits your taste. continue to fry rice until you get your desired texture. not only will it taste good but it extremely healthy for you.

The color and taste is mainly from soy sauce.