# Chinese fried rice



## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

In some selected take out Chinese foods I have seen the cooks stir fry rice in the wok and at some point dip into an old can with the spatula and add what appears to be some kind of infused oil. This adds an incredible light lemony/oniony flavor to the rice. I cannot describe it any better than this.

This can also gets filled with some left over fried rice every once in awhile. Does anyone know what I am talking about or better yet can tell me what this really is. I am desperate to know from some seasoned Chinese chef.

:chef:


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## oahuamateurchef (Nov 23, 2006)

Watching this thread...


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## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

dunno for sure, but sounds like a ponzu type flavor your describing. A soy sauce with citrus and mirin, I think. Could be a house sauce, a little sumthin sumthin the cook whipped up but more input is still needed.


Heh, just noticed you specifically said an oil, back to having not even a guess.


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Thanks Folks:

I know for almost certianty that it is an infused oil of some kind. I have only seen it and tasted it in three resturants. Two in Canada (Near Toronto) and in a little take out spot in Panama City Florida. This oil is placed in the rice at the last minute stirred ,then served.

Maybe I will get lucky and a Chinese chef will see this and shed some light on the mixture.


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## fldzone (May 22, 2008)

This is from a friend of mine (he is a Chinese chef).

Save up the head and tail of an onion and the green part of green onion 

Warm up the oil (do not used strong flavor oil such as sesame oil) add onion and green onion. Cook until the onion starting to dry up but not burn, drain the oil and there you have it.

This is what he calls finishing oil, it add flavor and a gloss finish to the dish.

Hope this help.


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

So many Thanks FLDZone. That sounds exactly what it is. I am gonna try it on my next batch of homemade fried rice. You and your friend are great> I have been looking for this simple recipe for years. Thx again


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## fldzone (May 22, 2008)

Please let me know how that turn out, cause I never try it myself.


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Thanks again for your help. I tried it twice. I burned the onions the first time and of course that was ruined. I used canola oil. The second time I got it right with your recipe. We are on the right track , but there is something missing. The oil tasted too oiley not enough onion/lemon flavour. I wonder if ther is lemon rind put in. I'll try it later.

Anyway I am still looking. There is nothing on the internet with chinese finishing oil. But many thanks again. :lips:


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## rsteve (May 3, 2007)

I'm not certain alot of folks would eat the rice if they knew what was in the finishing oil. It never will be the same from chef to chef. Every chef gives his/her finishing oil a little different finish. It may have a hint of lemon, but probably lemon grass and a hint of garlic. Also, don't be surprised if the some of the oil is rendered chicken fat or fish oil.


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Thx RSteve I am certain if we new what was in it it might not sound so good.I have seen the chefs take left over fried rice and plop it into the oil. I don't know if that's the secret or not, but I will experiment with lemon grass and lemon zest as you suggest to see. I have asked the chefs whats in the old can at the side of the wok and so far I've been told just canola oil.

I wonder if anyone out there knows what I am talking about. The flavor it adds to the rice is amazingly subtle but delicious.

The saga continues.:crazy:


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## hime (Jan 14, 2007)

usually in chinese cooking they don't use cannola oil. try making infuse oil with peanut oil and slice onion,and let it caramelize use just the oil , probably it help , for the lemon thing try add slice of ***** lime leaf .


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Thx Hime:


I'll give it a try!!


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I wouldn't be surprised if this was some oil left over from all the quick deep frying. Not from a deep fryer, but Chinese restaurants do a brief deep fry as part of meat cooking. I can see that oil getting interestingly flavored but not so heavily used as would come from a dedicated fryer.

Phil


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## fel3232 (Jul 19, 2008)

The secret is the high temp dedicated fryer, it only takes minutes if not seconds.


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## linguini (Jun 6, 2008)

try this excellent recipe for chicken fried rice with ham and shrimp.


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## fishstix (Jul 20, 2008)

The cook is probably just adding more oil to the wok.

Add curry powder to your fried rice and use Japanese rice and you'll understand what you have been missing.


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Thanks fishtix:

But I know the flavor of Curry, and Japanese rice is just sticky rice and not the common Chinese rice that I am familiar with . There is something in this infused oil that is a special recipe that only a few Chinese chefs would know about. I will give your curry idea a try though with just a pinch in some oil.

The flavor is very subtle like an onion with lemon. You can also smell it on the rice. But what an enhancement it does for the finished product. It does not seem to make the rice any more oilier either.

All I can hope for is for some knowledgeable Chinese chef who knows exactly what I am describing will contact me.

But thanks again for all the help from everyone.

If this oil is a super secret then I promise not to divulge it to anyone. But I am sure that all the chefs on this site will would like to finally know what I am asking for.:crazy:


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## hime (Jan 14, 2007)

how's the oil turn out????


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## grandmasterd (May 14, 2008)

Sorry I didn't get back to you HIME:

I can't find Kafin lime yet , am still looking.

Peanut oil is a no no , due to allergies ( most Chinese food resturaunts don't use it in Canada)

I caramilized some onion with lemon grass and got a nice oil but it was not near the flavour I'm looking for.. 

I am ready to give up. But thanks for the suggestion.:beer:

GMD


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## melly bean (Aug 29, 2008)

what about Ajinamoto (MSG)? if you don't use a BIT of MSG, it sometimes doesn't taste the same...which is bad because some people have problems with MSG as well 

also? what about using Chinese chives to make the oil? you might be able to get ahold of those at an Asian mart...

if you can't use peanut oil---sesame oil or cottonseed oil is good for simulating the flavors missing from lack of peanut oil or MSG... try an infusion of garlic, the Chinese chives, coriander (just a titch), ginger, & a bit of fresh black pepper... see what that does 

good luck!


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