3 Ways To Cook Rice And Make Egg Fried Rice
Inspired by BBC’s Egg Fried Rice video and reaction videos on YouTube
Not too long ago, I came across a video of a UK based Malaysian comedian who did a reaction video of a BBC host teaching us how to make egg fried rice. You can just Google it, it blew up that there’s an article on CNN about it.
Have to add that it blew up and now there are several reaction videos you can find by Asian YouTubers. Now you know how much attention the BBC host garnered that the Asian community is reacting to it.
I’m ashamed to say that as an Asian, I don’t actually know the right way to cook rice (even using the rice cooker) although I cook rice for my brother and me all the time. And he doesn’t complain. Until today, I found 3 different methods to make edible rice:
#1 Hersha from BBC’s Method
In the video, we see that she puts the uncooked rice in a pot with water and boil it over an induction stove.
“The rice not looking good, you lying to people. So wet” — Uncle Roger
After it boils, she pours it into a strainer and runs it over water. Now, this is the part I didn’t understand. Why would you do that??? Oh my goodness. However, she did mention she’s draining the excess starch. If you washed the rice before cooking it and you should, you do remove starch and dirt.
Rinse the rice until the water turns clear and just use a rice cooker. Believe me, it’s very convenient.
I’d also like to give Hersha the benefit of the doubt about not washing the rice before cooking it. Maybe she did it off-camera…
Egg Fried Rice
“Don’t be afraid” — Hersha
No, there’s nothing to be afraid of making egg fried rice. I make it all the time when I have leftover rice and don’t know what else to cook… There’s nothing much to “complain” about Hersha’s egg fried rice. Except, why did she cook the eggs separately and isn’t garlic the first thing you add to your pan before the other ingredients?
#2 Shuana’s Rice-And-Water Method
My method, I found out not too long ago is the completely wrong method. That was a big hit for me. Telling me I’ve been cooking my rice wrong the past 2 years? You’re joking, right?
In a rice cooker, there are measuring lines and the minimum line in my rice cooker says 4 cups. Which I assumed means fill 4 cups of rice and enough water to reach that line.
However, my rice usually turns out pretty good, not too wet and not too dry. So I never knew my method is not right. Bummer.
#3 The Finger Method aka Rice-To-Water Ratio Method
I’m going to be honest here. I don’t know this method. At all.
Like the method says, you don’t need a measuring cup, you just need your finger.
Sadly, my friends did a very bad job explaining this method to me. We were even on a video call, them guiding me on this method to cook rice. But they’re my friends, so I’m going to say, it’s me who just don’t get it.
“So you put your rice in the rice cooker then you put your forefinger in it and measure which part of your forefinger the rice reaches. Then add water into the rice cooker. Flatten your rice then place your forefinger above the rice but in the water and the water should reach the same part of your forefinger as your first measurement.”
Okay…
In conclusion:
- Method 1: the boil and drain rice method is legit but not recommended to make egg fried rice with it. Just use a rice cooker.
- Method 2: I guess my method isn’t right but my rice comes out fine, I can accept it.
- Method 3: The finger method aka rice-to-water ratio method which I have yet to master.
What I think is that there’s no right or wrong method to cook rice as long as the outcome is having fluffy, non-mushy rice.
Making the dish aka egg fried rice, however, that’s a whole different topic.
But these aren’t related to culture,
- Wash your rice before cooking it
- Don’t use metal on metal — ie. using a metal spoon scooping rice out from a metal saucepan or even worse, a non-stick pan. Asian moms have definitely emphasized that we can’t do that as we were growing up.
- There’s really nothing to be afraid of egg fried rice.