Vietnamese fried rice is a simple recipe with amazing flavor. It’s easy to prepare and delicious to eat. It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare and you can enjoy it right away.
I’m sure you’ll love this Vietnamese fried rice recipe, not only because it’s easy to prepare but also because of its deliciousness that comes from its simplicity. Vietnamese fried rice is a great idea for lunch today; we’ll be making it for our family lunch today.
I first fell in love with this Vietnamese dish when my sister made it. My sister has extensive experience with Vietnamese, Thai, and Malaysian recipes, having worked as a chef in a restaurant in Malaysia for a long time. So, she can make this delicious Vietnamese fried rice.
Because I love it so much, I learned how to make it. I had to be able to make it myself and enjoy this deliciousness anytime I wanted. Especially since it only uses ingredients easily found in the kitchen.
Vietnamese Fried Rice Recipe
After trying it several times, I decided to share it with you here. Today, we’ll be making Vietnamese fried rice and sharing it with the world.
Finding Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong)
Before we begin, let’s first find out about Chinese sausage. There are two types of Chinese sausage, and the one we use in this Vietnamese fried rice recipe is the sweet, savory, and slightly smoky version. This sausage is usually made from pork and its fat. However, some also use chicken and chicken liver. Besides this sweet sausage, there is also spicy Chinese sausage made from chili. [wikipedia]
This sausage has a unique flavor and is a staple ingredient in Vietnamese fried rice. This sausage is usually easy to find, sold in Asian grocery stores. In Malaysia, halal chicken sausage is usually used. If you have difficulty finding it, online stores like Amazon are your best option. So, it’s best not to skip this ingredient, as it adds a distinctive flavor and texture to our Vietnamese fried rice.
🧅 Simple Ingredients
The ingredients are very readily available, and most of them are already in your refrigerator or freezer. So, this dish is easy to prepare. In this recipe, we use shrimp in our fried rice, and you can use whatever ingredients you like, such as chicken or pork. If you use frozen shrimp, the cooking time will be slightly longer (add an additional 15 minutes for thawing).
Another ingredient is frozen mixed vegetables, which are very useful for adding flavor, texture, and nutrition. Frozen vegetables usually include corn, carrots, and peas, and some mixed vegetables available in stores often include green beans, which are great for adding nutrition and richness.
Other ingredients for making Vietnamese fried rice are chicken powder and ground white pepper. Pepper and chicken powder can be important ingredients in adding flavor to the dish. Chicken powder will add a golden color, in addition to using eggs. In addition to white pepper, you can also use black pepper if desired. However, the two have different aromas, with white pepper having a more earthy flavor, while black pepper has a floral flavor. If you substitute black pepper for white pepper, use as needed; don’t use the same amount of white pepper (1/2 tablespoon).
Using Day-Old and Cold Rice vs. Freshly Made Rice
For fried rice, cold, day-old rice is best because it will be drier, giving the dish the perfect dry texture. Avoid using fresh rice, as it will give the rice a mushy texture, which is not recommended for fried rice.
If you don’t have day-old cold rice, you can cook fresh rice as usual using the quick method. Once cooked, take the rice and spread it on a sheet of parchment paper to dry for 20 minutes. If you prefer, use a fan to dry it so you can make the fried rice faster.
Check out more:
- Latholemono Sauce Recipe: A Fresh and Easy Greek Twist
- Ta Chien Chicken Perfection: Stir-Fried Goodness You Can’t Resist!
💭 Tips
Follow these quick tips for cooking delicious Vietnamese fried rice; I hope they’re helpful.
1. Choose seafood, meat, or even vegetables.
Try choosing between meat and seafood. You can also use vegetables for com chien, or Vietnamese fried rice. If you use shrimp, it’s usually called “com chien tom.” If you use beef, it’s called “com chien bo,” and if you use chicken, it’s called “com chien ga.” You can also use seafood like crab or scallops! If you don’t like using meat or seafood, you can add more vegetables or tofu. Omit the chicken powder and use mushroom powder. This will be suitable for vegetarians.
2. Use a wok if you have one
Using a wok to fry rice is perfect. This pan is perfect for fast cooking and high heat. But if you don’t have one, you can use a large wok or a wok usually used for stir-fries. A non-stick pan is usually the best choice
Notes:
- Leftover and cold rice is better; don’t use fresh rice.
- If you must cook rice, cook it as usual and then dry it on parchment paper or dry it briefly with a fan.
Vietnamese Fried Rice (Com Chien) – Golden, Fragrant & Irresistibly Easy!
Ingredients
- 6 cups (about 850 g) cooked white rice – preferably chilled for best texture
- 8–10 medium shrimp (around 150 g), peeled, deveined, tails removed, then chopped
- 3 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), diced
- 1 small yellow or sweet onion (about 110 g), chopped
- 2 cups (about 300 g) mixed vegetables – defrosted and drained if possible, or use straight from frozen
- 4 eggs
- 3–4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon white pepper
- ½ tablespoon chicken powder or bouillon
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional, but highly recommended for extra flavor)
Instructions
- Place a wok over medium-high heat and drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the chopped shrimp and stir-fry for 1–3 minutes, just until they turn pink and are cooked through. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat up to high. Toss in the chopped onion and stir-fry for about a minute until it starts to soften.
- Add the diced Chinese sausage and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so it renders some of its fat and becomes slightly crispy.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the mixed vegetables and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. If they’re still frozen, cook for 3–4 minutes to evaporate any extra moisture.
- Tip in the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula as you mix it with the vegetables.
- Return the shrimp to the wok. Season with salt, sugar, chicken powder, and white pepper. Stir well so the flavors combine evenly.
- Push the rice mixture to one side of the wok. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the space, then pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble them gently until they’re about halfway cooked—still soft and slightly runny—then quickly fold them into the rice mixture. Stir for about a minute so the egg finishes cooking while coating the rice.
- Remove the wok from the heat. If you’re using fish sauce, drizzle it in now and give everything one last stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot and enjoy your fragrant, golden Vietnamese Fried Rice!
