Fried rice or egg fried rice is one of the most popular dishes around the world. Originally from East-Asia, but today you can find a restaurant selling fried rice on almost literally every corner, and many people prepare this dish at home. But what type of rice should you use for a perfect egg fried rice recipe? Which is the best rice for fried rice?
Thai Jasmine rice.
It is that simple. If you want a quick answer, than Thai Jasmine rice, or simply Jasmine rice, is the best type of rice to use in any fried rice recipe.
But if that wouldn’t be enough to satisfy your curiosity about what rice to use for fried rice, let’s see first why Jasmine rice is the best option, than what other types of rice should you use for your favorite Asian recipe.
Why Jasmine Rice?
The first and maybe most important reason might be that Jasmine rice is the go for ingredient for most Asian cooks when preparing this dish. We can say that this is the authentic rice to use in any fried rice recipe.
The second, somewhat more scientific reason lies in the qualities of Thai Jasmine rice. It is a long grain rice, thus generally less starchy and sticky, more suitable for a dish like fried rice. In fact one of the main qualities of an excellent fried rice is that the grains stay separated, and for that you need a long grain rice.
The third reason is the flavor of Jasmine rice. It is a fragrant rice, with a nice nutty flavor that’s reminiscent to popcorn. On the other hand it is not too fragrant like Basmati rice. It gives an ideal aroma to your fried rice, without overwhelming it.
Other Rice Types For Egg Fried Rice
Of course you don’t always have Jasmine rice at hand, or maybe you like experimenting with new flavors and want to try another type of rice for your next fried rice recipe.
Let’s see what can be a good substitute for Jasmine rice when making fried rice at home.
The most important rule is that you want to use a long grain type rice. Beyond that basically anything goes.
- Regular white rice. What’s sold as white rice in most Western countries is some type of long grain rice. It won’t be as fragrant as Jasmine rice, but it is a perfect substitute for making fried rice.
- Basmati rice. Basmati rice is another type of long grain rice, maybe the most well known. It is an excellent choice in my opinion, though a bit too fragrant for this dish.