HELP - Hibachi Styled Fried Rice

[The Ponzzz]

Ok, I been trying to make a Hibachi style dinner for about 3 weeks now. The chicken taste fine, I just can't seem to get the fried rice to taste like it.

I was told by a buddy of mine not to use Soy to fry with, but to use Tamari, and the taste seems to get closer. Currently I'm using:

Rice
Tamari Sauce
Lots of Butter
A little oil
A diced onion
Eggs
a splash of teriyaki sauce
and tiny bits of carrots.

Something is missing! Something BIG@!$!@! I know sesame seeds can be added, but I doubt that's the most of the flavor I'm missing. If anyone's experienced making this dish, please help!

[Back]

Buy one of those little packets of spices for fried rice. Its there along with taco seasoning and brown gravy.

[Caede]

Go to a Japanese steak house and watch them make it.

Or, do what Backlash said -- but just read the packet in the supermarket instead.

Otherwise, what you've got listed is good. I'd add garlic (wtf!? how could you miss garlic?!) and some sesame oil. Just be aware that if you overheat the sesame oil, your house/apartment will smell like it for weeks. It's strong stuff, too, so only use a little.

Oh, and I've never specifically made this type of fried rice -- when I make it, I tend to toss in a tiny bit of oyster sauce too, though, but that's probably not the flavor you're aiming for.

[Nieninque]

3 weeks is probably too long to be cooking it.

A little overdone?

[Caede]

3 weeks is probably too long to be cooking it.

A little overdone?

Need to get the bacteria growth just right for it to taste good...

[The Ponzzz]

Naw, the pre-made packets suck. Been to the steak house and they won't give me what they use, the fuckers!!

[Tromp]

Scallions, peas, way too much butter and oil. Pick one not the other. Probably not butter. You may be adding too much soy/tamari. You a vegetarian? Get some roast pork,ham, or bacon to put in there. Oh and some people put bean sprouts in it. The idea of fried rice is to be light and to use leftovers you have in order to create another meal on the cheap. Not all taste the same.

If you can handle drop a pinch of MSG in there.

[The Ponzzz]

No the stuff I'm trying to recreate has no meats or veggies in it. I figured I'm using too much oil, but I'll try killing the butter instead of the oil. The only thing I can thing is the rice needs to be steamed, I just don't have a steamer...

[Tromp]

Errr duh! Once again the dish was designed for leftovers thus you take previously cooked rice (steamed) and mix it with whatever. You aren't using minute rice are you? If you follow the directions to a T, long grained cooked rice in a pot can work out ok. Spend the $30-$40 and get a Black & Decker Steam Cooker FTW. Been using one for 10 years. When the original broke I was bummed but decided to write B&D in order to compliment them on the product. THEY SENT ME A NEW ONE FOR FREE! The actual rice cookers are great but I wouldn't buy one unless you can get a real good one which would be in the $100 - $200 range.

Cook well Grasshopper.

[Goretawn]

Are you keeping out egg on purpose? Oh, and just went to a Japanese Steakhouse. They used steamed rice to start with. If you have a pot, and a metal colander (spelling) you can steam it without buying too much. Just hang the colander above the water and boil. Gods, I watch my wife cook too much. Must find another hobby. Give it a try, it's been three weeks, what's another failed experiment?

[HarmNone]

Here's a recipe for basic fried rice that might work for you:

This is a basic recipe for fried rice that you can add to as desired. If adding other ingredients, increase the number of eggs to 3.
INGREDIENTS:
1 green onion
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
4 cups cold cooked rice
1 - 2 tablespoons light soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired
PREPARATION:
Wash and finely chop the green onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.

Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry.
Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce or oyster sauce as desired.

When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg back into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.

[The Ponzzz]

Yea, I been using long grain rice, was something like $5 for a sack of it. I guess steaming will prolly be it. And I am using eggs, generally one or 2 depending on how much I make. The last one tasted good, it's only missing something very minute, and steaming sounds like it.

And thank you HN, I'll try that one to see how it comes out!

[Sean of the Thread]

I love fried rice with skrimps. Get yourself a wok if you havn't already.. I use it almost daily.

[ElanthianSiren]

oyster sauce also came recommended in a tofu dish I made courtesy of Coley/Satira, who is the excellante at cooking. I'm not sure if that flavor's what you're looking for, but it may be worth a try?

-M