Ham and Egg Unfried Rice

You don’t have to rely on day-old rice to make a great fried rice. This Unfried Ham and Egg Unfried Rice uses uncooked rice, eliminating the need to plan ahead. Plus, it doesn’t require the constant watch and stirring as the traditional method.

Have you ever wanted to make fried rice but didn’t because you didn’t have any day-old rice in the house? I have! In those instances, I had to resort to plan B for dinner. That is until I decided to come up with a fried rice recipe that uses uncooked rice.

Using leftover rice can be a hassle. I don’t know about you, but my day-old white rice tends to be clumpy, and breaking it up can get a little messy. However, when the rice is cooked fresh, along with the other ingredients this problem is eliminated.

While we are on the subject of using day-old rice. I love cooking shows, but I aways chuckle when they add their perfectly separated, fluffy, day-old rice straight from the container to the frying pan. That does not happen in real life…mine at least.

As I mentioned earlier, the unfried method is easier than the traditional method. The rice and onion are cooked first in simmering seasoned water, then the remaining ingredients are added towards the end. No need to constantly stir ingredients, or to break up the rice. It comes out perfectly cooked—the key is the rice to water ratio, which must be at 1:1.5 and no more.

What I am sharing today is a recipe for Ham and Egg Unfried Rice, but you can substitute with any other kind of meat you want. This is an ideal opportunity to use up leftover meat—pork, chicken, steak, shrimp, whatever floats your boat. If you want to go vegetarian, use tofu or a meat substitute product. Or omit the protein component entirely. It’s all good!!

For the ham and egg version, everything (except eggs) is cooked in the saucepan. Of course, you can omit the eggs altogether. The rice is scrumptious without it. I love eggs in my fried rice, so I like to take the extra few minutes to whip some up in a skillet.

I like to make this dish in my rice cooker because it is low maintenance and practically foolproof. Since not everyone owns one, I opted to share my stovetop method with you. Just follow the instructions and it will turn out great!

Although this is not a 30 minute meal, it is pretty close to it, making this rice dish a perfect quick meal for a busy weeknight. The dish is substantial enough to stand on its own as a meal, but it also a fantastic side dish. This recipe makes 4 meal size servings or 6 sides.

Helpful tips:

• A non-stick saucepan with  deep sides and tight fitting lid works best.
• To best utilize time: chop onions and measure out rice before boiling water as it takes 2 minutes to come to a boil. You would want to work quickly once it does.
• Dice the ham and chop the scallion while the rice cooks.
• Cook the eggs while the finished rice rests on the stovetop.
• If using a rice cooker: cook rice, onion, seasoning, and water first; add corn, peas, ham, and scallion the last 7-8 minutes.

Recommended supplies:

These are products I use, or on my wishlist, or are highly rated. (Amazon affiliate links)

• Medium saucepan—this 4-quart stainless steel saucepan heats up quickly and evenly. It does not discolor or react with food. Comes with a flavor locking lid.
• Large skillet—this 11-inch skillet has a titanium and ceramic nonstick coating. It has a stay-cool handle and is PFOA, PTFE and PFAS free.
• Spatula for cooking rice—this set of 3 confetti design silicone spatulas. They are heat safe up to 428° F.
• Spatula for cooking eggs—this silicone spatula is safe on nonstick surfaces and is heat resistant up to 600°F.

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Ham and Egg Unfried Rice

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Stovetop Cooked Cuisine:Asian-Inspired Courses:Asian Inspired, Budget-Friendly Meals, Main Dish, Pork, Rice / Grain

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories: kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

You don’t have to rely on day-old rice to make a great fried rice. This Unfried Ham and Egg Unfried Rice uses uncooked rice, eliminating the need to plan ahead. Plus, it doesn’t require the constant watch and stirring as the traditional method.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 rounded teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
• 2 cups (about 10 oz) cooked ham, cut to 1/2 thickness and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion, greens only
• 1/2 rounded cup frozen corn
• 1/2 rounded cup frozen peas

For the eggs (optional):

• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Add 2 1/4 cups water to a medium non-stick saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low. Immediately stir in rice and onions. Cover and cook for 14 minutes. The liquid should be simmering—bubbling without boiling over. Adjust heat slightly, if needed to get it to simmer.
2. After 14 minutes, quickly add the corn, peas, ham, and scallion. Close the lid. Increase the heat to high for about 1 minute to bring the pan back to temperature. Turn the heat back down to low. Cook for 5 additional minutes.
3. Shut of the heat. Remove the lid and stir. Allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes, uncovered, to allow the moisture to evaporate.
4. While rice rests, cook eggs: Preheat a large skillet to medium-medium high. Whisk eggs, water, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add oil to skillet. Add egg mixture. Once the bottom of the eggs firms up, score eggs with the spatula to divide into four sections. Flip over each section. Once the second side begins to firm, remove from heat. Chop up into small pieces using a rubber spatula. Add to rice. Serve.
5. Makes 4 meal size servings or 6 sides.

Keywords:Unfried Rice, Fried Rice, Ham and Egg, Quick Meal