Yangzhou Fried Rice (揚州炒飯)

Learn how to make this classic fried rice dish at home with tips from a restaurant chef on getting the perfect texture and flavor.

flodesk gif
Prep Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Yields
5 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

Yangzhou fried rice, also sometimes called Young Chow fried rice, gets its name from the city of Yangzhou in China's Jiangsu province, where it is said that sailors started to put leftover scraps from their lunch into fried rice for dinner.

Others say that the dish actually originated in Guangzhou. Whatever its origins, this dish is beloved worldwide for its colorful and balanced mixture of delicious ingredients.

This recipe is incredibly versatile and is perfect for that moment when you need to use up leftover ingredients.

Yangzhou fried rice ingredients

There is an endless variety of ingredients in Yangzhou Fried Rice, also sometimes called House or Special Fried Rice at your local Chinese restaurant.

The core ingredients in a traditional Yangzhou fried rice recipe are generally pork, shrimp, vegetables, and eggs, but traditional versions may also include chicken, sea cucumber, bamboo shoots, and scallops.

You can typically use whatever you have on hand, or whatever you like to eat! Fried rice is a great way to use up what's in your fridge. Just note that you'll have to cook raw meats, like fresh/frozen pork, shrimp, chicken, and beef, longer than already-cooked meats, like char siu, BBQ meats, lunch meats, and other leftovers.

For vegetables, be aware of the water content. If you use vegetables that release a lot of water while cooking, like leafy greens, your fried rice may turn wet and soggy. In general, most or all of your ingredients should be about the same size, for ease of cooking and eating, so slice and dice accordingly!

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
5

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cup Thai rice
  • 1.5 cup water
  • 2 oz carrots
  • 2 oz peas
  • 5 oz char siu (

    You can use ham or spam if you can't get char siu.

    )
  • 4 oz shrimp
  • 2 egg
  • 2 scallions

Flavors

  • 0.50 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Ingredients

  • 2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 0.50 tsp salt

An expert chef’s tip for restaurant-style fried rice

Rice is, of course, one of the key ingredients in this recipe. We use Thai jasmine rice because that's our day-to-day rice. You can use whatever rice you like to eat! Just cook it with a little less water than usual so that it's slightly dry, and it'll fry up beautifully.

The general wisdom is to use day-old rice instead of fresh rice when it comes to cooking fried rice, but both work! My dad prefers fresh rice because he knows to cook it with less water. You want the rice to be a little dry for optimal frying—if the rice is too wet, you'll get mushiness and clumps.

Overnight rice works too because it's been drying out in the fridge, and it's a great way to use of leftovers if you made too much rice the day before. Don't use old rice that's TOO old, in case of harmful bacteria.

Step 1: Wash and cook rice

Wash the rice (2 cup) three times. Make sure to pour out the starchy water and use fresh water each time.

Since the rice will be stir fried, cook the rice with slightly less water (1.5 cup). That way, the rice will be firmer.

Cook the rice in the rice cooker or with alternative methods.

If you want to cook with American rice, note that it's harder and therefore requires more water. The end result should be a firm grain that's been cooked through, but not soggy or too wet for stir frying.

Step 2: Prepare ingredients

Dice carrots (2 oz) into medium-sized cubes.

Chop scallions (2 ) into medium-sized pieces. Make sure to separate the white parts from the green parts.

Dice char siu (5 oz) into medium-sized cubes.

Halve the shrimps (4 oz) lengthwise.

Crack and beat the eggs (2 ) in a bowl. Add salt and mix.

Step 3: Cook ingredients

In a medium-sized pot, add water (2 cup) and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the carrots (2 oz) and peas (2 oz). Cook for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add the shrimp (4 oz) and let everything cook for 3 minutes.

Strain and set aside.

Step 4: Stir fry rice and eggs

Heat up the wok to high heat for one minute before adding oil (1 tbsp). The oil is ready when you see that it is rippling.

Right before frying, add salt (0.50 tsp) and mix them into the eggs (2 ). Pour the eggs into the wok and cook for only 10 to 15 seconds before adding the cooked rice (2 cup).

Take your time while cooking the rice with the eggs. Make sure to break up the eggs and the rice. When you hear that crackling, you know you have wok hei.

If you notice that your rice is sticking together, that means that your wok is not hot enough or you cooked the rice with too much water. Another possibility is that the rice you are using is too soft. If that is the case, cook the rice the day before and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 5: Stir fry main ingredients

After 2.5 to 3 minutes of frying the rice and eggs on high heat, turn down the heat and add salt (0.50 tsp) and light soy sauce (2 tbsp).

Move the rice to the sides of the wok, leaving the center empty to add the char siu to cook. Once the char siu (5 oz) has started to cook, mix it into the rice and cook for 1.5 minutes.

Add the vegetables and shrimps (4 oz). Turn the heat to high, mix everything together, and add oil (2 tbsp) to make the rice glisten.

Add the scallions (2 ), mix, and take off the heat.

Step 6: Taste test and plate

Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste! This is usually served in a large serving bowl or plate and everyone can take the amount they want.

FAQ

Is Yangzhou fried rice, or house fried rice, healthy?

  • Yes, it is! It's stir fried, but remember that you're packing it with nutritious vegetables and proteins. And, the more colorful it is, the more variety of nutrients you're getting.
  • You can make sure that you make the healthiest version possible by choosing good quality oil and good quality produce. Decreasing the amount of oil will affect the texture and risk of sticking/burning, so we recommend using the right amount of oil.
  • You can opt for low-sodium soy sauce if that's a better choice for you.
  • Restaurant or instant versions may not be as healthy when they include additives and preservatives, but because you're making the fried rice from scratch, you have full control over the ingredients.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/yangzhou-fried-rice
Yangzhou Fried Rice (揚州炒飯)
Learn how to make this classic fried rice dish at home with tips from a restaurant chef on getting the perfect texture and flavor.
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 40 min
  • Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cup Thai rice
  • 1.5 cup water
  • 2 oz carrots
  • 2 oz peas
  • 5 oz char siu (

    You can use ham or spam if you can't get char siu.

    )
  • 4 oz shrimp
  • 2 egg
  • 2 scallions

Flavors

  • 0.50 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Ingredients

  • 2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 0.50 tsp salt

Step 1 - Wash and cook rice

↑ Jump to details

Wash the rice (2 cup) three times.

Cook the rice with water (1.5 cup), in a rice cooker or with alternative methods.

Step 2 - Prepare ingredients

↑ Jump to details

Dice carrots (2 oz) into medium-sized cubes.

Chop scallions (2 ) into medium-sized pieces. Make sure to separate the white parts from the green parts.

Dice char siu (5 oz) into medium-sized cubes.

Halve the shrimps (4 oz) lengthwise.

Crack and beat the eggs (2 ) in a bowl. Add salt and mix.

Step 3 - Cook ingredients

↑ Jump to details

In a medium-sized pot, add water (2 cup) and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the carrots (2 oz) and peas (2 oz). Cook for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add the shrimp (4 oz) and let everything cook for 3 minutes.

Strain and set aside.

Step 4 - Stir fry rice and eggs

↑ Jump to details

Heat up the wok to high heat for one minute before adding oil (1 tbsp). The oil is ready when you see that it is rippling.

Right before frying, add salt (0.50 tsp) and mix them into the eggs (2 ). Pour the eggs into the wok and cook for only 10 to 15 seconds before adding the cooked rice (2 cup).

Step 5 - Stir fry main ingredients

↑ Jump to details

After 2.5 to 3 minutes of frying the rice and eggs on high heat, turn down the heat and add salt (0.50 tsp) and light soy sauce (2 tbsp).

Move the rice to the sides of the wok, leaving the center empty to add the char siu to cook. Once the char siu (5 oz) has started to cook, mix it into the rice and cook for 1.5 minutes.

Add the vegetables and shrimps (4 oz). Turn the heat to high, mix everything together, and add oil (2 tbsp) to make the rice glisten.

Add the scallions (2 ), mix, and take off the heat.

Step 6 - Taste test and plate

↑ Jump to details

Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste! This is usually served in a large serving bowl or plate and everyone can take the amount they want.

Step 7 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 8 - 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.