Cooking Instructions
- Break apart the cold rice with your fingers or a fork before cooking. Separate any large clumps without crushing the grains.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until thoroughly hot. Add the vegetable oil and swirl it around the cooking surface.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the carrots and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
- Add the bell peppers and cabbage. Continue stir-frying for 2-3 minutes. The vegetables should soften slightly but retain some crunch.
- Add the Schezwan sauce and stir quickly through the vegetables for about 30 seconds.
- Add the cold rice and toss thoroughly to distribute the sauce and vegetables without mashing the grains.
- Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and black pepper. Stir-fry over high heat for another 2-3 minutes until the rice is completely hot and evenly seasoned.
- Taste before adding salt because both Schezwan sauce and soy sauce can already contain considerable sodium.
- Remove from the heat, scatter the green scallion slices over the rice, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
Cold, previously cooked rice gives the best fried-rice texture because the grains are drier and separate more easily in the wok.
Different brands of Schezwan sauce vary considerably in heat and saltiness. Start with 2 tablespoons, taste, and add more if needed.
Keep the vegetables slightly crisp; cooking them until completely soft removes an important textural contrast from the finished rice.
Use a wide skillet if you don't have a wok. A crowded, narrow pan traps steam and can make the rice soft rather than fried.
Add scrambled egg, tofu, or extra mushrooms if you want to make the rice more substantial.
Refrigerate leftover fried rice promptly and reheat it thoroughly before serving.
Different brands of Schezwan sauce vary considerably in heat and saltiness. Start with 2 tablespoons, taste, and add more if needed.
Keep the vegetables slightly crisp; cooking them until completely soft removes an important textural contrast from the finished rice.
Use a wide skillet if you don't have a wok. A crowded, narrow pan traps steam and can make the rice soft rather than fried.
Add scrambled egg, tofu, or extra mushrooms if you want to make the rice more substantial.
Refrigerate leftover fried rice promptly and reheat it thoroughly before serving.