Fried Brown Rice
Learn to make a healthy and delicious fried brown rice with tips from a master chef.
Cooking Summary
Ingredients: (detailed list)
- Main Ingredients: medium-grain brown rice, oil, salt, water, green onion, corn
- Shrimp Ingredients: shrimp, white pepper, cornstarch
- Chicken Ingredients: chicken drumstick, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, cornstarch, water
- Egg Ingredients: egg, salt
- Seasoning Ingredients: sugar, salt, light soy sauce
Steps:
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Overview
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.
Why this recipe
Most fried brown rice recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 60+ years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 145.7K views, 2.4K likes on YouTube.
Ingredients
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.
How to make Fried 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 tsp), salt (½ tsp), 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.
Dice just the green parts of the green onions (1 oz).
Crack eggs into a bowl.
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 (⅛ tsp) and cornstarch (½ tsp). Use your hands to mix everything together and set aside to marinate.
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 tsp), oyster sauce (2 tsp), white pepper (⅛ tsp), cornstarch (2 tsp) and water (1 Tbsp). Use your hands to mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate.
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.
Heat the wok on high.
Add the oil (1 Tbsp) 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.
Add salt (½ tsp) to the eggs.
Heat the wok on high. Add the remaining oil (1 Tbsp) 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 tsp), salt (½ tsp), and light soy sauce (1 Tbsp), 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.
Top 3 Mistakes
- Using white-rice water ratios:
Brown rice needs more water than white rice in this recipe. Follow the brown-rice cooking instructions instead of using your usual white-rice setting and expecting the same texture.
- Skipping the brown rice soak:
Let the brown rice soak before cooking, as directed. That extra hydration is part of Dad's method for softer, fluffier grains rather than rice that stays too dry for the stir-fry.
- Seasoning the rice too early:
Add the final salt, sugar, and soy sauce at the finishing stage described. The other ingredients have their own seasoning, so bring them together before judging the final balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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Made with love ❤️
We started Made With Lau to celebrate Cantonese culture and honor the legacy of our wonderful parents, Jenny and Chung Sun Lau.
Our hope is that these recipes and stories help you spread the joy, love, and nostalgia that I felt growing up.