Fried Brown Rice (炒糙米飯)

Learn to make a healthy and delicious fried brown rice with tips from a master chef.

flodesk gif
Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
60 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

As much as we love traditional fried rice, it's not a dish that everyone can enjoy. Those who are on low-carb or low-sugar diets may not be able to have white rice regularly, but still crave the flavors of fried rice—which is why Daddy Lau is remixing his recipe using a healthier, more nutrient-rich grain: brown rice.

The process of making fried rice with brown rice is similar to our other recipes. This version uses chicken, shrimp and eggs and gets its flavor from a simple combination of salt, sugar and light soy sauce. The biggest difference comes in preparing the brown rice, since the grain requires more water and time. If you've ever made brown rice and wondered why it's not as fluffy and tender as white rice, try my dad's tips and I guarantee it'll become your go-to technique from now on.

Once you've mastered making brown rice, you can use it in any of our fried rice recipes, such as Yangzhou Fried Rice, Ginger Fried Rice and Dried Scallop & Egg White Fried Rice.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cup medium-grain brown rice
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups water (

    with 3 ounces reserved to add later

    )
  • 1 oz green onion (

    just the green parts

    )
  • 2 oz corn
  • 2 tablespoon oil (

    divided

    )

Shrimp Ingredients

  • 7 oz shrimp
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 0.50 teaspoon cornstarch

Chicken Ingredients

  • 6 oz chicken drumstick
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water

Egg Ingredients

  • 3 egg
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

On brown rice

Brown rice is a whole grain that retains both the bran and germ, the nutrient-rich core. It's healthy and more fiber-rice than white rice (which has had the bran and germ milled off), but is trickier to cook to the right texture. Cooking brown rice calls for more water than white rice to soften it.

There are many varieties of brown rice, but my dad prefers Nishiki's medium-grain brown rice because it has a softer texture than long-grain brown rice. His trick to making tender, fluffy brown rice that isn't too dry is to soak the grains before cooking.

Step 1: Cook brown rice

Place the brown rice (2 cup) in a large bowl with clean water and wash three times. Gently swirl and rub the grains in between your fingers to dislodge any dirt and debris. Drain, then repeat using fresh water.

Add oil (1 teaspoon), salt (0.50 teaspoon), water (4 cups), and rice to the inner pot of a rice cooker. Stir to mix.

Let soak for 10 to 15 minutes. You can put it in “Keep Warm” setting in rice cooker and close it.

Cook the rice.

Step 2: Prep green onions

Dice just the green parts of the green onions (1 oz).

Crack eggs (3 ) into a bowl.

Step 3: Prep shrimp

Peel and devein (if needed) the shrimp (7 oz).

Cut shrimp into 3 smaller pieces.

Place the shrimp in a bowl, along with the white pepper (0.13 teaspoon) and cornstarch (0.50 teaspoon). Use your hands to mix everything together and set aside to marinate.

Step 4: Prep chicken

Debone and remove the skim from the chicken drumsticks (6 oz), if needed (Skip if using boneless cut). Use a cleaver or a piece of paper towel to pull off the skin. Cut through lengthwise to expose the bone, then slice along the bone to detach the meat. Cut off the bottom of the bone and use it to peel the meat off the top of the bone. Slice through to separate the longer bone, then cut off the smaller bone.

Cut the meat lengthwise into long strips. Turn 90 degrees, then slice into 1-inch pieces.

Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the light soy sauce (1 teaspoon), oyster sauce (2 teaspoon), white pepper (0.13 teaspoon), cornstarch (2 teaspoon) and water (1 tablespoon). Use your hands to mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate.

Step 5: Prep cooked rice

After rice cooker clicks and the rice is “done,” add the corn (2 oz) and reserved water. Start the rice cooker again.

When rice cooker clicks again, fluff the rice with chopsticks to release steam.

Step 6: Stir fry proteins

Heat the wok on high.

Add the oil (1 tablespoon) and spread it around the wok.

Add chicken and spread the pieces out in wok, letting it cook for 40 to 50 seconds without moving them. Lower the heat.

Flip the chicken, increase the heat and cook for 1 more minute, flipping occasionally.

Add the shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute.

Remove the chicken and shrimp, then set aside in bowl for later.

Step 7: Stir fry rice

Add salt (0.50 teaspoon) to the eggs.

Heat the wok on high. Add the remaining oil (1 tablespoon) and spread it around in the wok.

Beat the eggs, pour them into the wok and stir around gently, cooking for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add the fluffed rice and stir fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes.

Season with sugar (1 teaspoon), salt (0.50 teaspoon), and light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), then mix for 10 to 15 seconds.

Add in the chicken and shrimp and stir fry for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add in green onions. Stir fry for 15 20 seconds. Taste and adjust flavor if needed.

Turn heat off and plate.

FAQ

What does brown rice taste like?

  • Brown rice has a nuttier flavor and chewier texture than white rice., but you won't notice as much of a difference when using it to make fried rice.

What gives fried rice its flavor?

  • In this fried rice recipe, my dad flavors the rice at the very end with salt, sugar and light soy sauce. Green onions also add a sharp, slightly peppery flavor. Each ingredient that's used in the dish has seasoning so flavor builds throughout each component, then comes together at the end.

How do you cook brown rice?

  • Brown rice requires more water to cook than white rice. My dad uses a 2:1 ratio of water to rice and also lets the grains soak for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking to help soften them.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/fried-brown-rice
Fried Brown Rice (炒糙米飯)
Learn to make a healthy and delicious fried brown rice with tips from a master chef.
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 60 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cup medium-grain brown rice
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups water (

    with 3 ounces reserved to add later

    )
  • 1 oz green onion (

    just the green parts

    )
  • 2 oz corn
  • 2 tablespoon oil (

    divided

    )

Shrimp Ingredients

  • 7 oz shrimp
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 0.50 teaspoon cornstarch

Chicken Ingredients

  • 6 oz chicken drumstick
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 0.13 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water

Egg Ingredients

  • 3 egg
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.50 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Step 1 - Cook brown rice

↑ Jump to details

Place the brown rice (2 cup) in a large bowl with clean water and wash three times. Gently swirl and rub the grains in between your fingers to dislodge any dirt and debris. Drain, then repeat using fresh water.

Add oil (1 teaspoon), salt (0.50 teaspoon), water (4 cups), and rice to the inner pot of a rice cooker. Stir to mix.

Let soak for 10 to 15 minutes. You can put it in “Keep Warm” setting in rice cooker and close it.

Cook the rice.

Step 2 - Prep green onions

↑ Jump to details

Dice just the green parts of the green onions (1 oz).

Crack eggs (3 ) into a bowl.

Step 3 - Prep shrimp

↑ Jump to details

Peel and devein (if needed) the shrimp (7 oz).

Cut shrimp into 3 smaller pieces.

Place the shrimp in a bowl, along with the white pepper (0.13 teaspoon) and cornstarch (0.50 teaspoon). Mix to thoroughly combine and set aside to marinate.

Step 4 - Prep chicken

↑ Jump to details

Debone and remove the skim from the chicken drumsticks (6 oz), if needed (Skip if using boneless cut). Use a cleaver or a piece of paper towel to pull off the skin. Cut through lengthwise to expose the bone, then slice along the bone to detach the meat. Cut off the bottom of the bone and use it to peel the meat off the top of the bone. Slice through to separate the longer bone, then cut off the smaller bone.

Cut the meat lengthwise into long strips. Turn 90 degrees, then slice into 1-inch pieces.

Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the light soy sauce (1 teaspoon), oyster sauce (2 teaspoon), white pepper (0.13 teaspoon), cornstarch (2 teaspoon) and water (1 tablespoon). Use your hands to mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate.

Step 5 - Prep cooked rice

↑ Jump to details

After rice cooker clicks and the rice is “done,” add the corn (2 oz) and reserved water. Start the rice cooker again.

When rice cooker clicks again, fluff the rice with chopsticks to release steam.

Step 6 - Stir fry proteins

↑ Jump to details

Heat the wok on high.

Add the oil (1 tablespoon) and spread it around the wok.

Add chicken and spread the pieces out in wok, letting it cook for 40 to 50 seconds without moving them. Lower the heat.

Flip the chicken, increase the heat and cook for 1 more minute, flipping occasionally.

Add the shrimp and stir fry for 1 minute.

Remove the chicken and shrimp, then set aside in bowl for later.

Step 7 - Stir fry rice

↑ Jump to details

Add salt (0.50 teaspoon) to the eggs.

Heat the wok on high. Add the remaining oil (1 tablespoon) and spread it around in the wok.

Beat the eggs, pour them into the wok and stir around gently, cooking for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add the fluffed rice and stir fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes.

Season with sugar (1 teaspoon), salt (0.50 teaspoon), and light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), then mix for 10 to 15 seconds.

Add in the chicken and shrimp and stir fry for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add in green onions. Stir fry for 15 20 seconds. Taste and adjust flavor if needed.

Turn heat off and plate.

Step 8 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 9 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.