Fried Rice

Stir-frying rice is an adaptable, accommodating cooking method. Almost any food can be cut into small pieces and added to cooked rice, but the combination of foods must be compatible. The tradition of fried rice exists throughout China, and most banquets of any consequence will include one. A notable exception is a birthday banquet, where noodles usually replace rice because they symbolize longevity, though often both noodles and rice are served on those occasions.

The method for making fried rice is essentially the same throughout China, but ingredients and flavorings differ from place to place. In my childhood home in Sun Tak Yuen, a district near Guangzhou, fried rice made with salted fish was, and is, a tradition. In Yangzhou, a famous fried rice named for the city must always contain barbecued pork, baby river shrimp, eggs, and scallions. In Shanghai, Jinhua ham is added to fried rice, and in Yunnan, that province‛s ham appears.