Cooking fried rice with that very "roasted" or "nutty" wok scent and taste?

[Dubya61]

It might help to change the way you cook the rice to begin with. I've seen some rice recipes that have you put the rice and some oil/fat in the pan and sort of brown or toast it before you add water and bring it to a boil. I just did a search on google and can't find any, so I might be having an acid flashback, again, but I bet that would be a great way to add some flavor that you find missing.

[tfvc.org]

It might help to change the way you cook the rice to begin with. I've seen some rice recipes that have you put the rice and some oil/fat in the pan and sort of brown or toast it before you add water and bring it to a boil. I just did a search on google and can't find any, so I might be having an acid flashback, again, but I bet that would be a great way to add some flavor that you find missing.

A lot of European style rices are cooked that way, cooking the rice in oil first with garlic, black pepper, salt, vegetables, ect then adding the water and covering. Pilafs, paellas, risottos, etc. However most Asian style rices are simply steamed or boiled. The trick for stir frys is using day or so old rice so it is dry, or even crunchy. The moisture in the rice is going to prevent it from getting that browning effect.

[ctchandler]

A lot of European style rices are cooked that way, cooking the rice in oil first with garlic, black pepper, salt, vegetables, ect then adding the water and covering. Pilafs, paellas, risottos, etc. However most Asian style rices are simply steamed or boiled. The trick for stir frys is using day or so old rice so it is dry, or even crunchy. The moisture in the rice is going to prevent it from getting that browning effect.

My Chinese fried rice recipe says to wash it thoroughly, (to remove the starch that will make it sticky), steam or boil it, then put it in the refrigerator over night, but at least for several hours. I normally don't have leftover steamed rice so that's how I do it and it comes out really good.
C. T.

[citywokchinesefood]

My Chinese fried rice recipe says to wash it thoroughly, (to remove the starch that will make it sticky), steam or boil it, then put it in the refrigerator over night, but at least for several hours. I normally don't have leftover steamed rice so that's how I do it and it comes out really good.
C. T.

30 minutes to an hour is all you need to get the desired effect for your rice if you are cooking with a GOOD gas burner. An electric range is way too inconsistent to make good homemade fried rice consistently on. If you really want to do it at home and you don;t have a gas range and decent wok, you just need to get a camp stove and decent wok. The main thing you are looking for with a wok is that it has uncoated steel It absorbs and transfers heat exceptionally well and every asian restaurant ever uses them. If you want to pump the nuttiness up to 11 finish with sesame seed oil, but personally I love thai style rice made with fish sauce. Chow's fishy fried rice is good, but I will take most of the good thai restaurants rice over it.

[jompster]

It's probably sesame oil, like others have pointed out, but in moderation.
Also, if you're using an electric range, find a good stainless steel skillet or wok. Pre-heat it - can't stress this enough, at about level 4, or at about the 7 o'clock mark on the dial (just under medium heat). Let it pre-heat until drops of water thrown on it turn into "dancing beads." That means it's hot enough. Add oil first, let it just come to a slight smoke, and then add the rice and stir it around. Don't move the pan off the element much if at all. (Same technique as making and omelet with stainless steel cookware, minus the butter.)

[aegisdodd]

Wok hei (wok's breath) is most likely to what you are referring. Here's a method for approximating the effect