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BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu (easy Chinese recipe)

I use my homemade Char Siu to prepare perfectly cooked BBQ pork fried rice! This dish is bursting with flavor and carries the delightful wok aroma, which I eagerly anticipate despite using a portable gas stove with moderate heat. Accomplishing this with such a small stove is truly satisfying.

During my two-month stay in New Zealand, I have primarily taken on the role of the family cook! I’ve touched on various cuisines to provide my family with different dishes, including Chinese noodles, Hungarian goulash, and steaks. Yesterday, I prepared some delicious Char Siu with pork belly, and the leftover Chinese BBQ pork is ideal for preparing BBQ pork fried rice today.

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Get this BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu. It is best as a one-pot meal for a quick dinner. Delicious and easy to prepare.

1. Ingredients needed for my BBQ pork fried rice

You can easily make Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork) using the oven instead of an open fire. If you want to try making it at home, I have two recipes on this food blog: pork Char Siu and chicken Char Siu. Alternatively, you can save time by purchasing it from a Chinese store.

In addition to BBQ pork, eggs are another essential ingredient for Chinese-style fried rice.

If you’d like to add more flavor to your fried rice, shrimp is a popular protein to include. Besides that,  make sure to have enough chopped green onions to cook with and sprinkle on top as a garnish before serving.

As for the vegetables, diced carrots and green peas are the most commonly used options.

I like to keep things simple for everyday cooking, so I only use a few ingredients for this BBQ pork fried rice.

Since the eggs and BBQ pork provide plentiful flavor, so only simple seasoning is necessary. I use the classic combination of Cantonese seasonings, which includes light soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil. These ingredients are readily available in Asean grocery stores. You may also want to use fish sauce as a substitute for soy sauce for a different flavor.

Get this BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu. It is best as a one-pot meal for a quick dinner. Delicious and easy to prepare.

2. Steps to cook BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu

Now, let’s discuss the various methods of preparing fried rice. I have a few options in my kitchen: using the induction stove, air frying the rice, or cooking it over the gas stove. Since I have ample time and aim to achieve the best result, I have chosen to cook it over the gas stove using a wok. However, if you are short of time and prefer a simpler method, you can use the air fryer to cook the fried rice. Please refer to my article on this topic for detailed instructions on preparing air fryer fried rice.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

a. Preparation:

  1. Leftover rice works best for fried rice. If you plan to cook it the next day, prepare the cooked rice beforehand. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it in a single layer on a large tray and use a fan to blow on it for fifteen minutes. This helps remove as much moisture from the surface as possible, reducing the chances of the rice sticking to the wok and preventing clumping.
  2. Cut the Char Siu into small dice.
  3. Prepare other secondary ingredients: dice the carrots, thinly slice the green onions, mince the garlic, defrost the frozen peas, and beat two eggs.
  4. In a nonstick pan, scramble the two beaten eggs with some oil. Then, use a spatula to break the eggs into small pieces.

b. Stir-frying:

  1. Heat some oil in the wok over medium-low heat and sauté the garlic until aromatic.
  2. Add the cooked rice to coat each grain with oil. Break up any lumps, ensure the grains are separated, and do not stick together.
  3. Next, add the carrots, peas, cooked egg pieces, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and oyster sauce.
  4. Slowly increase the heat from low to high. If the rice sticks to the wok during this process, you can either reduce the rate of heat increase or add more oil.
  5. Once the heat is high, the rice grains will start to pop in the wok, and you will begin to smell the delightful aroma.
  6. Now, add the BBQ pork and half of the green onions.
  7. Stir-fry over high heat for half a minute for the best results (good fried rice must have the wok aroma).
  8. Finally, dish out the fried rice and sprinkle the remaining green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Get this BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu. It is best as a one-pot meal for a quick dinner. Delicious and easy to prepare.

3. Serving suggestions for BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu

This simple BBQ fried rice is perfect as a side dish. However, you can easily transform it into a main dish by adding more ingredients during frying. Shrimp, snow peas, and small broccoli florets are excellent additions. Furthermore, it can also serve as a standout item on the buffet line during a party.

4. Tips for making the perfect fried rice

I have a comprehensive article on my blog that provides detailed instructions on how to cook the perfect fried rice, just like those you get from Chinese restaurants. I recommend referring to that article. However, here is a brief recap for your quick reference:

  1. The ideal rice for Chinese fried rice should be less starchy, aromatic, and slightly chewy. Jasmine rice (a fragrant long grain rice) is my preferred choice.
  2. Rinse the rice thoroughly with water to remove the excess starch can reduce sticky problems during stir-frying.
  3. Gently break up any lumps of rice with your hands before frying, as separating the rice grains in the wok can be difficult.
  4. Opt for overnight cooked white rice, as it tends to be drier on the surface, which is ideal for fried rice. If you keep it in the refrigerator, let it return to room temperature before frying.
  5. Use seasonings sparingly, as the meat and eggs provide the necessary flavor. (Note that the approach may differ while making Nasi Goreng, the Indonesian fried rice, which uses a significant amount of chili paste called sambal.)
  6. Adding an egg enhances the flavor of the dish. It’s always a good idea.
  7. Use a cast iron wok or large skillet for optimal results. (Although I understand it may not always be possible.)
  8. Choose a well-balanced combination of ingredients, including proteins and vegetables.
  9. Select the right oil for frying. While you can use various oils for stir-frying, peanut oil will give you the most authentic Chinese flavor. Olive oil can be used but has a lower smoking point, so it may not be the best choice to cook at high heat.
  10. Frying the rice on high heat is crucial to achieve the desired wok aroma.

5. Other popular Chinese food on this blog

If you enjoy this BBQ fried rice recipe, I recommend a few more Chinese recipes I love to cook for my family. These dishes are my favorites:

  • Mongolian Beef: This classic Chinese dish features a rich and savory flavor, with a delightful combination of slight spiciness, sweetness, and the aromatic blend of garlic and ginger. It’s a dish that I frequently prepare for my family dinner.
  • Bok Choy Stir-Fry: This simple yet delicious vegetable dish is a staple for many Chinese home cooks. It has become the most popular recipe on my food blog thus far.
  • Hot and Sour Soup: This Sichuan-style soup is served in almost every Sichuan restaurant. You can now recreate it at home by following this recipe.
Yield: 3 servings

BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu (easy Chinese recipe)

BBQ pork fried rice (2) recipe square

Get this BBQ pork fried rice with Char Siu. It is best as a one-pot meal for a quick dinner. Delicious and easy to prepare.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

Preparation:

  1. Cut the Char Siu into small dice.
  2. Dice the carrots, thinly slice the green onions, mince the garlic, defrost the frozen peas, and beat two eggs.
  3. Scramble the two beaten eggs with some oil. Then, use a spatula to break the eggs into small pieces.

Stir-frying:

  1. Heat some oil in the wok over medium-low heat and sauté the garlic until aromatic.
  2. Add the cooked rice to coat each grain with oil. Break up any lumps.
  3. Add the carrots, peas, cooked egg pieces, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and oyster sauce.
  4. Slowly increase the heat from low to high.
  5. Now, add the BBQ pork and half of the green onions.
  6. Stir-fry over high heat until you can smell the wok aroma).
  7. Finally, dish out the fried rice and sprinkle the remaining green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 760mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 21g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 5/23/2023

KP Kwan

Wednesday 24th of May 2023

Hi, this is KP Kwan. I am happy to see you in this comment area, as you have read through my recipe. I am glad to reply to any questions and comments as soon as possible.

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