For Restaurant Worthy Fried Rice, The Type Of Rice You Use Matters

You probably order fried rice from your neighborhood Chinese restaurant frequently, but it's not difficult to make at home for a weeknight meal. When it comes to picking the main ingredient, there are many types of rice to choose from, but that doesn't mean that every variety is fair game. In fact, there's a type that reigns supreme for the best fried rice according to Brian Griffith, executive chef at Choy in Nashville, Tennessee.

"The quality of the rice is important to maintain the fry on each grain of rice. The lower quality it is, the higher the chance of the rice breaking and not being fluffy after it hits the wok," Griffith says. For those reasons, out of the many tips you need to make restaurant-worthy fried rice at home, the quality of the rice might be the most imperative factor. "Here at Choy, we use Charleston Gold Rice from Anson Mills. It is so fresh that it cooks faster and holds up very well. Also, it has a sort of wild rice taste that is very unique in fried rice."

Charleston Gold Rice works well for fried rice for a couple of reasons. A medium-grain or long-grain rice are the most popular choices for the Asian dish, and Charleston Gold Rice is long grain. It also has a firm texture, so it will withstand all of the cooking steps required for the dish, from the boiling pot of water to the wok or frying pan. If you can't find it, Jasmine and basmati rice are two similar varieties that are also long grain. Charleston Gold Rice is related to Carolina Gold Rice, with similar flavor and texture so that's another acceptable replacement.

Once you find your Charleston Gold Rice (or another variety), you might need a recipe to make restaurant-worthy fried rice. To skip the meat, make this easy fried rice recipe and use two cups of your chosen rice for four servings. Or if you want a little meaty flavor, try this pork fried rice recipe with three cups of rice, ground pork, ginger, and peas. And should you have extra rice that didn't make it to the frying pan, there are many ways to use leftover rice, from soup to risotto.