Chinese Banquet Fried Rice

CHINESE BANQUET FRIED RICE

A Chinese feast lasts for several hours and is lavish in scale. There’s a set protocol that’s followed for important occasions like weddings, the Chinese New Year, and milestone birthdays (like when your great grandma becomes 90…that large).

Typically, you would go to a large restaurant in Chinatown and order a 10- or 12-course meal that would include cold appetizers, shrimp, lobster, roast chicken or duck, and whole steamed fish. The meal would be shared between 10 to 12 people at the table. There is a fairly consistent order. However, the dishes can change. It’s possible that the chicken will be served in its place. It could be abalone rather than shrimp. If you’re lucky, you’ll get an extra serving of steak.

The final two dishes, on the other hand, are always the same. Long life noodles and banquet fried rice are always on hand in case you’re still hungry after all the protein and vegetables. No one is usually in the mood for this starch-fest when it comes to the dinner table. After a while, you’ll feel like Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, ready to be wheeled out of the restaurant.

For those who love the leftover fried rice that comes the day after a big party, this is our take on the classic “banquet fried rice” meal. It’s easy to make at home, and you get to have it right away (plus, you don’t have to eat 1000 calories the night before to obtain it), so it’s a big advantage.

We’ve outlined the process in detail below, but you can also check out the entire recipe at the bottom.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of cooked rice
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1 chopped of scallion
• vegetable oil
• chopped carrot
• chopped ham
• chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas
• salt and white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add a small quantity of oil to a wok and bring it to a boil. Make a quick omelet and set it aside.
2. The onions and carrots should be cooked for about 2 minutes, or until they are somewhat tender.
3. Add your ham after another 2 minutes of cooking.
4. Put in the rice and peas. Stir-fry everything together to heat it up.
5. Salt, white pepper, and soy sauce should be added to the mix. Add scallions to the mixture.
6. Three more minutes of stir-frying is all that is necessary. Serve!