A very easy recipe using inexpensive ingredients to give you an authentic flavor of fried rice. Serve as a main or side dish. I often make this recipe because it's simple, inexpensive, a good way to fill your belly.

It's versatile because you can choose what ingredients you want to add, and it's also a great dish to put in a food flask if you do outdoor work, or you're going on a road trip.

My mother used to make it for me in the morning, put it in a food flask and I would take it to school for my lunch in the winter. It was lovely and warm, and of course, all my school friends were most jealous of the smells coming from my flask!

The recipe is very straightforward and you can use left over rice or cook some up just for the recipe.

If you enjoy eating Chinese food, then it is worth getting the various sauces listed in the sauce ingredients because you will find these are typical ingredients used in Chinese cooking so they won't be wasted!

For example, you could try our Chinese fried noodles recipe or learn how to make spring rolls or wonton. The marinade ingredients are pretty much the same.

Fried rice dishes are very flexible in that you can pretty much add any ingredients you have to hand.

For this recipe, I've added some ground meat and shredded white cabbage so it became a meal in one.

Feel free to add some sugar snap peas, broccoli, shrimp, or whatever takes your fancy!

The main thing is to make sure everything is bite-size so it cooks fast and also to use the sauce ingredients listed below to give you that delicious Chinese aroma when it is cooking and the flavor itself.

Instructions

1. First off is to get the rice cooked.

If you're not using up leftover rice, cook a fresh batch.

I always use a rice cooker to steam the rice, but if you don't have one, try steaming rice in a bowl, in a steamer.

This will take about 20 minutes or so.

2. If you've followed any of our recipes before then you know what comes next.

Get all your ingredients ready whilst you're waiting for the rice to cook.

3. If you are using raw meat, combine ALL the sauce ingredients above EXCEPT for the rice wine into the meat and mix in well.

**If you are using cooked meat, keep the sauce in a bowl until you get to step 12 .

4. Wash, chop, shred whatever ingredients you have chosen and have them all laid out as in the photo ready for wok time.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to your wok.

Allow to heat up then add the beaten egg.

Please note I have not added salt or pepper as the sauce contains seasonings.

6. Let the egg spread in the wok and when it is starting to set, turn over, like an omelet, and cook the other side.

7. When it is nearly set, use your spatula and slice the egg into bite-sized pieces.

8. Scoop out the egg pieces and return them to the bowl you used to beat the eggs in. They will be added back at the end.

9. Using the same wok from the egg (no need to wash it) on a medium heat, add the pieces of ginger and stir fry the raw meat, then add the shredded cabbage and chopped garlic.

Fry until the meat is cooked and the cabbage is soft enough for your liking.

Now check on the rice. It should be ready now.

Add any other ingredients you have chosen, such as ham, bacon, chopped chicken, peas, corn etc.

10. Loosen the rice in the bowl / cooker.

It should be light and fluffy and smell absolutely delicious!

11. Add the rice to your wok and mix in well.

I find it easiest to use chopsticks in one hand and a spatula in the other to toss and stir the ingredients, but if you're not an expert yet with the chopsticks, two spatulas also work well!

12. Once the rice is fully combined, turn the heat right up on your wok, add the eggs back in, and if you have sauce because you didn't already marinade raw meat with it, (that is, you are using cooked meat or just veg), add it now, and stir like crazy so the bottom doesn't burn!

At this point, if you are using 'soft' vegetables like beansprouts, iceberg lettuce (shredded), you need to add now. The lettuce will shrink so don't panic if you wonder how all your lettuce will fit in the wok!

13. Add the Chinese rice wine (at this point take note of the smell when you add the wine, tell me if you liked it!). Add the spring onions, cilantro, and do one more stir like crazy.

When you serve up, pick out those big pieces of ginger when you come across them. They aren't so nice to eat in this way.

14. Switch off the wok and smile. It's all over and you can now taste your very own fried rice!

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