It’s time for our first fried rice recipe, and we’re keeping things tropical with a Jamaican flair to this recipe. Have any questions or comments about this recipe before you start?
Photo: Grace Young
Tip: I make fried rice on an almost-weekly basis, and I learned pretty quickly that in order to have a successful fried rice you need to follow Grace’s advice and use day-old, cold rice. Make your rice the day before you plan on using it, fluff it, and store it in the fridge overnight. Read “Fried Rice: The Stir-Fry for Rookies” on p. 257 of SFTTSE for more information.
- Matt
Here’s some more tips from Grace:
- Most people keep red pepper flakes for years. If it’s not fresh you’ll need more than the 1 tsp called for.
- If you don’t like dark meat you can substitute chicken breast.
- Be sure to cook the rice the day before and fluff. This will make the rice easier to stir-fry.
We don’t usually eat chicken legs, so I’m wondering if chicken breasts would be OK? Perhaps brined beforehand to keep them somewhat moist?
I first had this dish at a Chinese Jamaican restaurant and they made it with dark meat but you can certainly make it with chicken breasts. I think the dark meat is moister. Just make sure you don’t over cook the breast meat.