How good is Cantonese rice? Personally, I love it, and to be honest, the first few times I tried it, it didn’t impress me much. At the time, I found it uninteresting and perhaps too simple. Over time, frequently visiting Chinese restaurants, I changed my mind and started to appreciate this dish.
Cantonese rice is the most accessible dish for anyone who has never tried Westernized Chinese cuisine because it essentially uses ingredients familiar to our culture, simple rice with scrambled eggs, cooked ham, and peas. The uniqueness is given by flavoring everything with rice vinegar and soy sauce.
Today, I’ll show you how easy it is to make at home, requiring just a few ingredients and not much time to prepare. This way, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a dish without necessarily going to a restaurant.
Related recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Steam
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
For Cantonese Rice
- 1.5 cups parboiled or ribe rice
- 1.9 cups water
- to taste salt
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or sushi seasoning
- to taste vegetable oil
- 3.5 oz diced cooked ham
- 1 shot glass soy sauce
Steps
To make Cantonese Rice
Rinse the rice to remove excess starch. Put it in a bowl with water and drain it each time until the water is clear
Put the drained rice in a non-stick pot and cover with water. Generally, the cooking water should be twice the height of the rice
Cover with a lid and turn the heat to high; as soon as it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and set a 15-minute timer
Meanwhile, beat the eggs and set aside. Blanch the peas in slightly salted water for 3 minutes
After the 15 minutes of rice cooking time, make sure the water has been absorbed by the rice; if not, extend the cooking time for a few more minutes and let it rest for another 10 minutes with the heat off without removing the lid
In a non-stick pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook the beaten eggs in the oil, breaking them into pieces with a fork or tongs
When the eggs are cooked, add the diced cooked ham and let it flavor for a few minutes
Uncover the rice and bring it to the pan with the other ingredients, add the blanched and drained peas
Season with rice vinegar and mix well, also add the soy sauce
Continue mixing for a few minutes and serve the Cantonese rice in typical bowls or on a plate
Tip!
You can alternatively use basmati rice.
