I've Been Cooking Rice WRONG My Entire Life ! (the steaming method)

The Path To Fried Rice : Ep7. I learnt a new steaming method for cooking rice which guarantees perfect Fried Rice every time. SquareSpace: 10% off your 1st order using www.squarespace.com/frenchguy
Here is the Rice steaming method shared by the chef Samuel Lee Sum.
Steamed rice for Fried Rice
---------------------------------------------
Ingredients :
1. Thai rice 100g
2. salt 1/4 teaspoon
3. 1/4 teaspoon of oil
4. 100 ml of water
--
Instructions
1）Drain the rice as much as possible after washing
2）Mix the rice with salt and oil
3）Add in water
4）Steam the rice on high heat for 20 minutes.
5）Wait for 10 minutes and then take it out.
6）Stir the rice until it cools down.
7）Put it in the refrigerator without covering it for a 1-2 hours
Fried Rice requires rice that is slightly drier than regular rice. It helps keeping the grains of rice separated.
steaming the rice also does something magical to the texture or the rice. it becomes more springy, more chewy and it reacts better one the wok ! it also keeps a beautiful shine without being too oily.
this new steaming method for rice is now officially my favourite recipe to cook rice for making Fried rice.
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[@FrenchGuyCooking]

Haiyaaaaaaaaaa ! If you think I should have bought a Rice cooker instead (I own 2 already) or that I should have used day-old rice leftovers, then 1) watch the video till the end, and 2) Remember that I am trying to make Fried Rice at a Michelin Star Chinese Restaurant level ! At home, I regularly use day-old rice for fried rice, and yes it is amazing and very clever to make the most out of leftovers. But, in this case, using day old rice would be counter productive as I am trying to maximize flavours, and to get as much freshness as possible (tip I got from a Cantonese MasterChef 😉). I am trying to make PERFECT FRIED RICE 🌾😋

[@iblong9505]

Lots of commenters obviously weren't paying attention.

[@kofatsu]

That is true, but you're arguing with asians. we will put you on the receiving end of a broomstick if you disagree. source: am asian

[@notobi5158]

Wok hard! 💪🏼

[@GreenDayFanMT]

Patrick Star: Makes sense to me.

[@vipulpoddar8045]

Alex search on Google how Indian cook rice Every grain of rice is separate I think that might be helpful

[@thewthew1987]

You got everything set up except your seasoning station, most cantonese/chinese stirfry dishes is finished within 1-2 minutes in the wok. That is why every second is crucial when you have the wok on the heat, and you cant waste it on locating your seasoning container, opening the lid of said containers, slowly sprinkling your seasoning. Having everything accessible quickly is the key of mastering stir fry dishes with the wok. Great content, love your dedication and all the best with your recovery with your knees

[@stonecat676]

he knows this, but he's cooking outside lol watch his previous vids please, he was even studying from chinese chefs on weibo

[@DH-be4ur]

@@stonecat676 then it ain't gonna be Michelin star. 🤷‍♂️

[@yakitatefreak]

There's a French name for this: Mise en place. I guess that's one way to put French flare in it.

[@lawrencepatrick2486]

Now that you said it, fast food comes from china?

[@kirkendauhl6990]

Hopefully he can bring the ingredients closer so his timing is better. I keep looking at the browned egg and wincing, if you’re gonna start with egg first you NEED to go as fast as possible.

[@wellingtonchef]

Over 25 years of Exec Chef experience at high end restaurants in the States. Boston, Dc etc. This is one of your best successes to date so far Alex!! Rice is easily one of the most poorly handled ingredients across all cuisines. Perfection of the “simple” tasks within all food prep is what separates the good from the great!! Bien joué!

[@indiancowpissdrinker7151]

im only watching this video for the accent

[@hermankarsowidjojo6771]

ERROR ERROR ERROR In Reality, this is a Universally very wrong method of "Cooking Rice". The Best and Healthiest Method is to cook the Rice Naturally and Unpolished. This Way You retain The Vitamin B12. Sincerely Yours,

[@thechefjaygatsby]

I just tried this steaming method for cooking rice, and it is hands down the best rice texture I've ever had. Bravo, 10/10

[@ChewK000]

as a wise man in an orange polo once said , "Just get rice cooker , and all your problems go away"

[@robdielemans9189]

Haiyaaaaa!

[@blueandred3646]

@@robdielemans9189 FUYOOOOO

[@FrenchGuyCooking]

I have one ! In fact I have two... Still, this method is SUPERIOR 🔥🔥🔥

[@eyeborg3148]

Fried rice is best made with day old rice from the refrigerator. At home it’s generally a convenient way to use leftovers.

[@iblong9505]

@@eyeborg3148 did you not just watch the video? Or are you dense like day old rice?

[@MitgliedT5]

when a michelin chef texts you his recipe how he cooks rice.... life goals achieved i guess :P

[@ThePhantazmya]

What are Alex's life goals if cooking with Michelin chef's is not enough?

[@MitgliedT5]

@@ThePhantazmya i dont know 🤣

[@bklynhelen3865]

I love it when you’re happy with an outcome and you’re French comes out. I know you’re going to knock it out of the park and make the dish your own next week when Chef Samuel shows up.

[@masguardian]

My mom always uses the steam method to cook rice. It's the best and every grain has structure. My family, which is from Guangdong province, or Cantonese region, uses Thai jasmine rice from what I remember. Thai jasmine rice is very fragrant.

[@RedJohn16ismyPSN]

"Every grain of rice is nicely separated!" *Immediately sees rice ball rolling in the bowl*

[@VMTDesign]

8:58 Yep. You sir are a real one 😂

[@AllTheArtsy]

Self delusion 101 lol

[@syedusamamanzoor1838]

😂

[@ScottHebert604]

Alex: We need to put a little of 'me' in that dish Me: Omg he's going to put ramen in rice

[@Scodiddly]

I was more worried about that “put my guts on the table” line.

[@alexeidmitriev6235]

Ramen with croissants stuffed with mayo and pizza meatballs in fried rice.

[@myclamish]

@@Scodiddly Don't forget the brain juice that he's squeezing out...

[@kharismabangkitpriambada5217]

Well..... Egg fried rice mixed with instant ramen is a popular dish at least in my town

[@ETERNlTUS]

@@kharismabangkitpriambada5217 Magelangan.. 🙄

[@avoirdupois1]

I really enjoyed the sound in this video. Along with Alex's sparkling commentary and practical discussion, the immersive sounds really brought the experience home to me.

[@lukaszenko10000]

You combine cuisine with competitiveness with your own self, and I love it SO MUCH!

[@MartinPittBradley]

Alex's parents' backyard is the perfect place to lay back for a sunny afternoon.

[@Ophelos]

Sure, but only after Alex cuts the grass.

[@rkmugen]

Remember: BALANCE, above all else! Avoid making the finished dish heavy/dense/cloying with too many ingredients. The (freshness of the) rice is supposed to be the star of the dish, while everything else is supposed to compliment it. That being said, you might also consider any one or more of the following to really personalize your own fried rice. *Protein:* some sliced slivers of saucisson sec (French salami). Not too much though. Par cook them first in the wok to render some of the fat. Remove from the pan and set aside, but keep the fat. If there isn't enough rendered fat, you may need to add some oil to make up the difference in volume needed. *Eggs:* Okay, not so humble by suggesting this..... but I dare you to add a Jacques Pepin-inspired omelet to the finished rice dish. The stir-fried egg is one thing.... but adding a classic French omelet will lend a slight dimension of creaminess you normally wouldn't find in fried rice. it could be revolutionary. it's up to you whether or not you want to include green onions in it or not. *Aromatics:* leeks, sliced thin, but on a bias. Garlic. *GARLIC.* _But treat the garlic right..._ that's all I have to say about that! You might also consider some zested fresh citrus rind... a little goes a long way! *Herbs:* use your homemade fresly-dried herbs, mid-way through cooking. Or... add a chiffonade of fresh leafy herbs at the end of cooking, just before serving. *Vegetables:* Definitely acceptable and needed if you think your fried rice will come out heavy, as properly-cut vegetables will lighten the dish. Think hard about this and plan ahead! Vegetables like celery, celery leaves, carrots, carrot tops, fresh green beans (julienned). *Acids:* Think vinegars, wine vinegars, citrus fruit juice (ie. lemon, lime, orange, etc). If it comes down to it, you might even consider the brine from a jar of cornichons. *Sweetness:* Yes, don't underestimate alternative sources of sugar to balance the savoriness of the fried rice. *Spice:* Get the best peppercorns you can find. You can also think of adding hot sauces to the fried rice at the moment you add the soy sauce (that is.... if you opt to use soy sauce, which you don't, actually). Plot twist: Add some Tare.... like, from the Ramen series. It would be COMPLETELY unexpected.

[@dyesi4short748]

This is an underrated comment. I hope Alex can see this, and somehow help him in accomplishing this series.

[@Vasharan]

The saucisson is a great idea, I was going to suggest pig's nose or pig's ears, both also very French.

[@Argosh]

I love how this channel has turned into "it really makes a difference how you prepare what goes into your food" :D

[@michaelhusada2276]

I am in awe at your perseverance in demystifying all that science for something that I’ve taken for granted because I grew up with it. Well done.

[@newacc4424]

08:56 Alex singing Jacque Pepin shows how satisfied he is with the result

[@noisy99_]

or Elle Me Dit in the previous videos lmao

[@SamTheFable]

When Alex said, "Where's the Frenchness in there?" my brain immediatly went "So, you're gonna make it with butter?"

[@SimonHume81]

I'm sure you could get some wine in there too! ;)

[@zeideerskine3462]

You can. Use the finest, longest grained Basmati rice and do not was it but glaze it in cultured grass butter in a copper bottom sauce pan, add one part by volume chicken stock and half a part by volume dry white wine with prominent acid. Bring to a rolling boil for a minute, cover the sauce pan with a proper lid and turn off the heat. Ten minutes later you fluff the rice with a rice paddle and may proceed to frenchify all your other ingredients, for example with goose egg and black truffles.

[@davedoesmassage]

Same!

[@junrhodlockwood6057]

I thought "Croissant-Fried-Rice" ...

[@Ilethsamael]

I'd rather use duck fat, it is more heat resistant and I am sure he can muster something amazing. Duck fat Escargot fried Rice

[@emmanuelbuisson5543]

Thank you Alex, i'm a french cook and I learn so much from you. I just tried that cooking method for rice (that I didn't know) it's like a dark area of cooking revealed. Thank you for the big picture.

[@toddellner5283]

One of the problem with "isolating the variables" is that plain rice fries differently than rice with eggs. Vegetables and protein fry differently when they're alone in the wok than when they are mixed with other ingredients which might also be high in oil and certainly have a high water content.

[@ivorjawa]

Ahh. Partial differential equations. Good luck finding an analytical solution for that.

[@AmeshaSpentaArmaiti]

@@ivorjawa I just graduated and you put me on edge with this.

[@RebelRhiannon]

That’s why you do them in a specific order, longest and wettest ingredients first!

[@gary7vn]

That's where intuition comes in.

[@martinpanev6651]

God I love these videos- They are useless to me, someone who is not this deep into cooking... Despite every meal I have eaten being homemade, but I have slowly been enjoying every single video you make. From the first to the latest. Keep going :D

[@kieranaustin4004]

for everyone saying you need day old rice....how do you think restaurants cook their fried rice? Reckon they're only using the stuff from yesterday? Cook your rice properly and it's good to go

[@AdrianArgu]

Yesterday's left over rice is today's fried rice. Well, I really have no idea how it goes in high-end restaurants which is what Alex is going for. But in my part of Asia (where you have rice in every meal at home) fried rice is all about making yesterday's rice taste good again (this was before refrigerators and microwave ovens). Fried rice is usually eaten for breakfast and made from left over rice from last night's dinner. Again, that's how it is in my part of Asia, I can't speak for the rest. Also some parts of my country doesn't have reliable electricity so not using rice cookers isn't that strange.

[@klvn2266]

no... you don't need a day old rice, but you need ones that are dry and at room temp, restaurants has heavy duty fridges that could cool down the rice quickly, and food stalls will just use rice that they cook hours and hours before they start selling.. so the most "foolproof" way at home is using a leftover rice... and his way of steaming the rice is no less proper than rice that are boiled in a pot or cooked in a rice cooker.. it will produce the same result if it's dried and cooled down enough... again, the most foolproof way, is to leave it alone for half a day, minimal... you don't even need to put them in the fridge.. I have been eating rice every day my whole life, and nobody in my household have ever put our leftover rice in the fridge the only fk'd up rice is if you messed up the water ratio... that's bye bye

[@ehrichweiss]

Well, actually, they do tend to use rice cooked the day before. I've only got 30+ years experience cooking at a Vietnamese restaurant so what do I know.... We cook it in a rice cooker, store it in the fridge and then fry it the next morning. Only on the busiest days would we ever have to fry more rice in the middle of the day and then we'd use rice that we'd already cooked early in the morning and had been cooled....and even then we'd still not be using that particular fried rice for a couple hours at least to give it time to dry some more.

[@kithrattanak4312]

this man really don't know...

[@didydota]

Hope u find your own twist on your fried rice. I usually cook them on left over rice, with left over chicken, meat, sausage, sea food basically anything.. U can also make a fusion with it.. Fried Rice has alot of styles, Chinese style, Indonesia style, Malaysia style and much more.

[@aaoa666]

Despite alex being able to pull stuff out, your respect for the dish is so immensive its hard to be anything else than impressed. You go friend!

[@jakuburban6289]

I was about to buy a fancy rice cooker when I saw this... I just did rice using this recipe and it's the best I ever had. Very easy plus almost no cleanup necessary... You just saved me a lot of money Alex!

[@mabel3425]

Filipino here, our family cooks rice by boiling it. We wash the rice 2-3 times and use our finger to measure for the water. Next the pot goes on the stove on medium heat. When it boils, we lower the heat and cook it for 15 minutes. Then that's your rice, boiling works fine!

[@pino_de_vogel]

Never understood the finger method. its just not consistent AT ALL. a finger for 1 kilo is different then with say 2 kilo's and every finger is different. i use math and a scale every single time. For jasmin rice i use a 1 on 3.25 weight ratio so 125 grams of rice is 325 ml water in my microwave absorbtion method. But this only works for this volume for the microwave method as some steam is excaping in this method makig the total absorbed vollume of water less. If i where to use a rice cooker which is airtight that would be a 1:2 ratio for rice to water in weight not cups or other vague measurements for jasmin rice. Basmati for example needs 50 ml more water for the same 125 grams of rice as its more absorbant and expands a lot more. And boiling can work fine if you use it with say a corry or stew but then stickt rice is irrelevant but if you want fresh non stick you need to use a absorb methos to not rub the grains while cooking and create starches that stick. in theory you can cook in excess water and then strain and steam dry but frankly i have never tried that and i think it will kill flavor but that would prevent stickyness as well.

[@pokiou]

@@pino_de_vogel it's actually very simple... its the first notch in your finger from the TOP of the rice... every time perfect regardless of amount of rice cooked.

[@mira-rara]

It don't actually taste as good as steamed rice.

[@pino_de_vogel]

@@mira-rara if it both absorbtion method how would the taste differ? they both slowly absorb the water one just creates more dishes to do. i hoghly doubt theres a difference in taste or texture if you do it right

[@mira-rara]

@@pino_de_vogel Alex literally explained why. Uniform heating vs uneven heating. No matter what you do, heat source of boiling is from bottom.

[@wyvernflight]

French influence on fried rice: escargot fried rice, clarified butter for the oil, garlic and chive garnish. bet it will be good

[@ZurinArctus0]

I used to cook escargot/snail fried rices and I once used butter instead of vegetables oil, I can guarantee you it was delicious

[@muhammadharithjohari6855]

Mirepoix also can make the fried rice taste better too .

[@pablomarani3799]

Excellent episode! Now very excited and thrilled about the next one!

[@pumpkineater23]

Hey Alex, I have a recommendation for your fried rice. Slowly fry strips of red onion until just starting to crisp. Put them aside and then lay them on top of the rice just before serving (spring onion 'inside' and the red onion 'outside'. Sometimes this is done with Biryani but many people don't realise, it's a perfect match for egg fried rice too!

[@bummerc8752]

I went down this rabbit hole of making fried rice half way through the pandemic and ate fried rice for literally 5 months perfecting it lmao 🤣

[@OriginalOscarOnline]

Alex, you always do an incredible work with you videos! I’m amazed at the use of the Hero’s journey in the structure of all of your videos

[@justinwoods8100]

This set of videos has been so helpful!! Much love from California Alex!!! I can't wait for the finale of this series!!

[@raghunathevar]

Tears seem appropriate. People underestimate just how difficult it is, working that wok. The chef that trained me developed a curve at the base of his thumb, after 40 years behind the stove. Love your work Alex!

[@mingwu8124]

Fried the egg first - egg acts like nonstick magic for the rice. In fact, it acts like nonstick magic for anything you fried next. Source - Mum and Dad who has a Cantonese Restuarant Edit: I had written this halfway when he tried to naked fry the rice, and turned into a biscuit

[@Afeeq1011]

It's the silver over gold right?

[@matthewesalazar8160]

isn't that what he did though?

[@amaanmohammad1190]

I believe you. I have heard many say that left over refrigerated rice is best for fried rice. I didn't see him do that here. Whats your take on that ?

[@haldouglas4773]

@@amaanmohammad1190 did you not watch the video through? he explained it very thoroughly.

[@nerocentric]

But my eggs stick, so.... 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@auxchar]

"We need to add a little of me to that dish. To infuse it with personality. Where's the French vibe, where's the Alex vibe in all this?" Oh no. He's going to add the mother sauce mayonaise

[@franzbibfeldt]

I'd want that rice given a DNA test before I ate any of it for fear he did add a little bit of him to the mix.

[@piethein4355]

Nah, he should add demiglace

[@tedjomuljono3052]

@@piethein4355 it'll turn into Kichi Kichi omurice

[@KazeKumo]

@@piethein4355 demiglace would be nice method imo if @alex read this. It will be Japanese style fried rice that has soft creamy omellete and topped with demiglace, but still fried rice. its infusion between asian and european.

[@enriquegarciacota3914]

I have tried rice with mayo and it was actually ok (homemade mayo, not store-bought)

[@LegendoftheGalacticHero]

Yesss. Keep on showing us these “new” (steaming rice already existed but is not as used by others around the world) techniques and how to take things next level by breaking convention (at least for a bunch of us). Merci

[@Whitewingdevil]

I'm not french, but when I think of french food I think of fresh vegetables, rich sauces, and butter. All of those things should be pretty easy to incorporate into a fried rice dish, looking forward to what you make Alex!

[@edwardwongliupepelutivrusk1262]

I am Chinese, seeing the title, I am like"WTH, there is another way to cook rice other than steaming?'

[@greenmachine5600]

Clay pot rice too

[@rja62b]

Another important tip: When washing rice, make sure the water is transparent which means you will have to rinse the rice 3-4 times to get rid of as much starch as you can. Then, after washing, don't let the rice sit in its own wetness, that will make the rice sticky and won't fried-rice well.

[@user47362]

just chuck the rice in the freezer for a half an hour and add a little flour to it and it will be perfect

[@devinbaer2845]

@@user47362 washing the rice gets the starch off, won't adding flour to the rice essentially make washing it pointless?!

[@user47362]

@@devinbaer2845 washing gets rid of the nasty stuff like arsenic... adding floor dries the rice and make it easier to make fried rice

[@devinbaer2845]

@@user47362 that may be a benefit but the main reason you wash rice is to remove the starch from the surface so that it has a better texture when you cook it.

[@KimchiiKnight]

Thank you so much for this!! I just made my first stir fry for my Thanksgiving dinner and everyone was extremely happy and impressed!! 🥰 I told them all about your videos and how much I learned from watching you!

[@ferrydewit3416]

I followed this method and it works out perfectly. Thanks for this. It is going to be my method from now on.

[@YaBoiTaeWu]

I’m glad that I’m not the only one that’s been anticipating Uncle rating this. That been said, I’d genuinely like to try a comparison between leftover and fresh methods head to head. I’m sure the end result come down to mouth-feel

[@Dr.ZoidbergPhD]

You really can't cook fresh rice for frying, it has to dry out overnight for optimal use. Cooking so much rice in such a deep pot was Alex's 1st misstep, it overcooked is what it seemed

[@RiceSnow777]

When he mentioned “wok hey”, I was shook. As Chinese as I am, I never had wok-heyed fried rice at home because our fires aren’t as strong. And yet, he cooked wok-heyed fried rice!

[@lynustay2739]

his flame looks weaker than my home stove, highly doubt he could get any wok hei. does he even know what wok hei is or taste like lol.

[@DixxyV]

@@lynustay2739 The guy just made his own stove in his previous vid. I think it can produce enough heat for wok hei

[@lynustay2739]

judging by the speed he moves while frying the rice you could tell its far from a professional 100k BTU setup. he just built a fancy home gas stove.

[@shamsulhazizat3936]

Slight wok hey maybe??? 🤣

[@Alberto-xw8vx]

You are by far the best cooking channel online. Receive a hug from a Spaniard, another one whom intented to decypher the best Cantonese recipe.

[@danbain6678]

This is a game changer for me. Just cooked this tonight and did a side by side with the rice cooker. Way better separation. Not really any harder to make and the fact that you can eat it the same day is great.

[@littlelawson06]

Everyone saying that he should use butter to make it more french when surely garlic is the obvious choice...

[@MrEmrys24]

It would be garlic fried rice then which is more of a Filipino style fried rice 😁

[@littlelawson06]

@@MrEmrys24 I guess the French have been trading in the Philippines since the 1700’s so that would make sense.

[@grizzlydroidy]

@@littlelawson06 Most of the cooking methods in the Philippines are Indo/Malay derived, with the later addition of Spanish, Chinese, and American influences (colonization era). The use of garlic is heavily Chinese in our cooking as we also follow the rules of Garlic, Ginger, and Scallion (Onions) in almost all our native dishes. From our history books, the only trade that the French did with the Philippines would be wood and cloth, as the Philippines was already abundant with spices before the Spaniards (and their 15 French men) arrived on our shores. Also, garlic may be revered by the French, but they still do not consume as much garlic as Asians (more than 80% of the world's garlic market).

[@maimoua781]

I know everyone likes rice cookers, but there's different steamed rice techniques, so it depends on the technique used, but how my family steams rice; I definitely thinks it's better compared to rice cooker. To each their own. Not all rice cookers and rice cook the same too. We use tiger brand ,but I heard Zojirushi brand is good. Rice cooker is just convenient, but when there's no electricity or no rice cooker, steamed rice is the best option.

[@poyi1013]

Pressure cooker makes the best rice.

[@DisillusionedAcronym]

i mean, there is nothing wrong with the steaming method he did... if you have 20 minutes to steam 100g of rice and then wait 2 hours for it to cook. if you have more than one person to feed....

[@maimoua781]

@@DisillusionedAcronym yea definitely nothing wrong with it, but I think people won't back down from rice cooker bc it's convenient. Steaming is just traditional way. Rice cookers also keep rice warm and fresh too, vs. steamed rice only warm for maybe an hour and after that needs to be reheat. There's definitely a texture difference too. Also it probably takes 30-40 minutes for my family to make about 10-15 cups of steamed rice for a pot ( about same for our rice cooker). We do both depending on the rice. Timing depends on the technique used.

[@maimoua781]

@@poyi1013 I heard about but haven't tried it. Maybe one day.

[@DisillusionedAcronym]

@@maimoua781 it makes me laugh a little because it's literally called steamed rice. i mean, for me, whatever works for you (or whoever) is good. but people feel like there can only be one way and that is the way they learned.

[@marylee946]

Very impressed with your relentless pursuit of perfect fried rice.. pure admiration from a Chinese Grandmom from Canada.

[@FabricioRodriguezM]

I love watching you learn, while I learn myself. Thank you.

[@arenkai]

Add chili jam That's a good trick

[@fussyrenovator7551]

😂

[@acdnintheusa]

Inspiring work Alex. We get to watch a term end, if not a master’s thesis level of work, with every series you produce. I’m going to introduce these to my 9 year old. He can witness another example of the joy that comes with the pursuit of knowledge. Thank you for taking us on your journey.

[@johannesr8709]

Love your vidoes Alex ! I‘m so hyped for the next ones!

[@Fretice]

Happy to see the progress!

[@yohannessulistyo4025]

European things that might go well with Cantonese egg fried rice: Truffle - seriously, the butane gas smell of truffle will perfectly complements the nutty delicately smoky wok hay aroma. Fish roe - might not match bite-texture wise, but that ocean aroma usually complements egg fried rice really well, most Cantonese chef typically just use shrimp, crab meat, or scallop. Smoked fish - rarely known in China, but used a lot in Europe, seriously goes very well with the wok hay smell, and may even accentuate it. The British did their kedgeree egg curry fried rice using smoked haddock, and that thing is a marvelous treat. Wild European mushrooms - much more flavourful than ours, especially the delicately delicious porcini mushroom and the morel with its seafood-like characteristics Chorizo - I like their smoky and savoury taste much better than the Cantonese lap cheong, which is sweet Pté - full flavoured earthy liver té, which I don't like, but I would imagine the strong taste would complements the well rounded aroma of wok hay Fancy Chinese restaurants loved to use the following well-known variants: Salted fish - maybe because we don't know better about smoked fish "XO" sauce - dried scallop, red chilli pepper, Jinhua ham, dried shrimp, garlic and canola oil. just Google this sauce, it is not Cognac for sure. This sauce simple elevates them to the right direction Chewy or crunchy seafoods that goes well with wok hay - shrimps, scallops, squids, clams, or crab meat Asparagus - for some reason (probably for that crunchy bite texture and that aromatic nutty taste) Crunchy tofu skin - anything soy that went well with soy-sauce based dish Crunchy fried / baked laver seaweed / nori - again, for that ocean smell that goes so well with wok hay Shaoxing wine - for flambé trick show off Chinkiang vinegar - the taste that awarded so many Singaporean bok chor noodle hawkers their Michelin stars

[@waspgaming9077]

I've started using a microwave rice-cooker on my quest to make perfect sushi-rice and I believe it is pretty much steaming the rice as you want. You add rice, water & salt and since its microwave heated it is also heated from all sides at the same time with no part really transferring the heat. The pot fills with steam after a while and you can then influence the hydration by either letting it sit until the steam sets or opening it up and letting steam evaporate off the hot rice. You should look into it, basically just a plastic pot & extremely simple and convenient

[@tammysweetbrat2669]

Agree. I had one for years. $2.00 at Wal-Mart. I am lazy in the kitchen so it is perfect for me. Just like cooking bacon and hard boiled eggs in the air fryer. (Besides other things) Hehehe

[@Nomadic813]

Your quest to find how to make perfect sushi rice resulted in a microwave? Shock and horror from a guy who worked in a high end Japanese restaurant as a cook.

[@waspgaming9077]

@@Nomadic813 :D I See what you mean, but two factors: as a home cook it still needs to stay practical & the microwave by itself is simply a heating device that when used correctly is in no way inferior and in this context is perfect for steaming rice. Actually I rarely use it expect for rice & defrosting berries

[@petermuller9940]

Thank you from Germany. After 20 yrs suffering with terrible fried rice you finally showed me how to do it right.

[@bjornvarenius2702]

You and Sam the cooking guy are the best food vids on KZbin. Epic! Keep up the good work!

[@danskibbe2070]

Literally laughed out loud during the steamed glasses part

[@djarc9]

In my country, the rice is only cooked partially via boiling. The second half of cooking is completed when it's transferred to the wok for frying.

[@brauschau]

Did it just like Alex and it worked like a charm. Thanks man!

[@no_name9906]

I really like the love of the process..and the humor

[@Alitotheg]

Yo Alex! You need a ‘’Wok Smarter’’ T shirt! That’s what you’re doing 😆

[@shiqixu2902]

Sometimes people combine lard with rice before stir-frying, which makes it easier to separate and heat up more quickly

[@joanneskugler2894]

This is THE BEST youtube channel!!!

[@tconsing]

Congratulations, Alex! Well done!

[@georgmichelitsch7970]

I hope you will put in Andouillette and balance that punch with something green. Looking forward to the next episode!

[@AttaboyIII]

Bleeps the f-word when he says it. Doesn't bleep "putain" - some of us English people know you said a naughty word Alex!

[@sharpe3698]

But does the demonetization algorithm?

[@AmeenaF19]

@@sharpe3698 We curse a lot in French. It's not being vulgar. It's giving more emotion to what we say. Just like intonation.

[@zloychechen5150]

"whore" in russian, for example, is not a particularly taboo word either.

[@jfxl1977]

Yum! It's looking terrific! You're right on the verge! I have no doubt chef will be impressed!

[@elymuff]

The result looks great!

[@RWAKitty]

I have a suspicion that this steaming method is what the expensive rice cookers do. I use an instant pot pressure cooker for rice and it works wonderfully. So much better than boiling it in a pan or the cheap rice cooker I used to use.

[@maboroshihananetsumi]

Interesting facts about the steaming method: Here in Taiwan, back in the ancient times, people steam their rice only at special days for celebrations because it tastes better. Nowadays, we steam the rice EVERY DAY because the work is done by a RICE COOKER and it tastes really good.

[@kenta469]

Not a Taiwanese, but here, in Indo, we did that too, or at least my district where i live, everyday rice is rice cooker rice, traditional steamed rice is reserved for special occasions like you did, and when electricity died lol, sure steamed rice is far superior from rice cooker rice, but the effort is not suitable for everyday cooking

[@maboroshihananetsumi]

@@kenta469 Glad to hear that we share the same energy for the rice. But by saying "we steam rice every day", I really meant it because the rice cooker we use is designed to adopt the streaming method as its mechanism. We put the rice in the inner pot with water and add some water outside the pot so that it creates vapor to cook the inner pot until all the water evaporates. I wonder if you have the same type of rice cookers in your country

[@kenta469]

@@maboroshihananetsumi i think that's available here, but only the fancy one, i use old miyako rice cooker

[@kurokazu4941]

@@maboroshihananetsumi im from Indo too. I dont think i ever see your type of rice cooker. In here the rice cooker just boil the rice until its cooked. Both rice and water in the same pot..

[@maboroshihananetsumi]

@@kurokazu4941 We call it 電鍋 (while the boiling type 電子鍋), and the most well-known manufacturer is Tatung.

[@korvisus]

I'll be looking forward to your video with the chef! Good luck!

[@natashaszydlak4411]

EEEEEE!!!!!! So excited to see Alex Fried Rice!! My mind is getting blown away at possibilities! I've only made perfect fried rice once in my 41yrs! It was a fluke! But always steam my rice for stir frying! As you say each grain is separate and has body. Otherwise I just use a rice cooker. I can't wait til next episode!! Just make sure to keep the ingredients few, flavours simple and with the Alex touch it will be the most perfect fried rice!!!!

[@tcouture]

Adding the Alex touch: Use clarified butter instead of oil and sprinkle croissant flakes on top? :)

[@connorscott311]

Either that or somehow making a stirfry/ramen hybrid. Whenever I think of or bring up Alex it always makes me remember his ramen series

[@yakitatefreak]

I’d say use lardons as a local ingredient but it’s up to Alex.

[@bryancanares4347]

My method of cooking rice on stove top is: 1. wash the rice 2 to 3 times until water is somewhat clear and not cloudy/starchy 2. water should be just below the first line of finger ( I measure the water with my finger just lightly touching the rice) 3. wait for the rice to boil and let it cook until water is reduced by more than half (or until there's a little bit of water on top of rice remaining) 4. turn off the heat and let is sit for 5-8 minutes with the lid on (don't open the lid cause you want the steam to be trapped in and cook the rice) 5. heat on low (very very low) and steam the rice for about 5 minutes (or until you can smell the rice) then it's done -Yields dry chewy rice great for fried rice just leave at room temperature to cool completely. This is the method I've been using for years cause I prefer dry and chewy rice.

[@M_Jono]

resto level use steaming with bamboo basket , no boiling. its different with our home cooked

[@bensay8442]

this video made me so happy to watch, thank you!!

[@1lamafarmer]

Fuuuiiyooooohh! Can't wait for the grand finale of this series!

[@allanjohnson8951]

About a year ago I went through a similar process for trying to get perfect fried rice (and I took over a year to get it down), the right cooking method (steaming and then chilling for at least 2 hours) carries you 60% to the right texture and individuality. After that, having enough loose oil in the pan I'd say is one of the most important things to have when you're frying. It should almost feel like too much, and you never want to pre-fry anything else before because it'll get too saucy and stick up the rice. I usually add an egg after the rice has fried for a minute, that way the rice does most of the work of making the egg break up into little rice-sized pieces.

[@johnl6371]

Nobody "squeezes the brain juice" better than Alex when it comes to cooking!

[@yuletak]

If it's good enough for a top class chef, then it's good enough for me! Can't wait to try this at home. I bought myself a wok burner and am really looking forward to trying this. Thx for the work getting the secrets of master chefs!

[@r09d98]

Have you tried the Brazilian method? Lightly fry the rice in a spoon of oil for a minute before adding the water, just until they start becoming opaque - they won't brown. When you hear the crackling at the bottom the water is gone and it's time to turn off the heat and let it steam for ~10 minutes. Makes for very fluffy, completely separated grains.

[@charthepirate]

does... does alex just walk around saying "jacque pepin" when he's happy?

[@HadrienBrewer]

I think he was kind of singing it

[@Huckleberry42]

I have been cooking *insert any food* wrong my whole life. Let's be real that's 99 % of us.

[@crazystupidgamer]

Well, anything you do that makes you feel good (in a kitchen) isn't really wrong. It's all about preferences.

[@AnimeReference]

Nah, everything I cook is the biblically correct version of how that food should be cooked (including the errors).

[@M_Jono]

nothing wrong or right , only which level do you want to achieve

[@pino_de_vogel]

Most people eat to eat not eat to enjoy the food. I never eat anything i dont realy like and enjoy thus i always try to make the best food i can and even when im like DANG THIS IS GOOD i still strife for perfection and improvements.

[@pino_de_vogel]

@@crazystupidgamer Yes and no. Preferences differ for sure but you can't say you have a preference without trying the other options. So never go with the 'This is good enough' attitude but keep improving and experimenting/adopting as thats how you trully fall in love with food. 7 years ago when i started caring about food i bought instant noodles and fried some eggs ham or chicken or shrimp en veggies and tossed in the noodles and added some indonesian soy sauce and called it perfection and really liked it. Now 7 years later if i make that im dissapointed with myself because i was open to improvements and know what is possible with those same ingredients.

[@Retrospectttttttt]

Hi Alex, I'm one of your fan from Thailand with a Chinese decendent. I eat jasmine rice on my daily diet. My grandparents (Chinese of course) usually explained to me that the tip in cooking good fried rice comes from the left over rice the night before. It eventually means that putting jasmine rice in the fridge overnight would absorb the moisture from the rice grain leaving the cooked grains separated and dry. It will then be easy to use this rice to cook fried rice. The other method is to use a rice cooker with the option "Hard Rice", the rice after cooking will eventually be harder than normal and the grains are seperated which is good for cooking fried rice. Your end result of fried rice looks amazing but the methods of cooking rice could be much simpler which could encourage a lot of people to start cooking fried rice.

[@etyseats3246]

Your dedication to Rice is Inspiring MEC!

[@halsti99]

i found that, the thing that used to mess up my rice the most, is that i didnt seperate it enough while cooling. after cooking, i either left it in a pot, or a bowl, or the container that i steamed it in. The bottom of it always got soggy, because the steam couldnt escape. that alone wont make anything perfect by itself, but making sure to fluff up the rice, also spreading it out, both to let steam escape, helped a lot :)

[@gregmuon]

Yeah, the pot method works fine, but IME you MUST fluff up the rice after it's mostly done, and then put the lid back on to let it steam another 5-10 minutes. Then let it cool off if you're making fried rice.

[@ArthurTugwell]

I opened a birthday card up once and rice poured out everywhere… It was from Uncle Ben.

[@silverplug]

Was it fried rice, or raw rice?

[@SentinalhMC]

This joke will go over lots of heads

[@Sangtrone]

With great power comes great ricesponsibility

[@dimilton3166]

Dude, your uncle’s got some good jokes☺️

[@haldouglas4773]

did you get a ccp membership too?

[@xsawbonesx]

Jesus, I'm so excited to watch each video. Your videos fill me with such excitement and passion. Thank you.

[@Misha..K]

When you showed us the spoon full of rice I automaticly opened up my mouth and leaned forward to the screen 😲🤣💜

[@maragrace820]

Tip of the day: that water you use to wash the rice can be used to water fruit trees or flowers as it has nutrients to boost the Potassium and other nutrients. It works well.

[@rasyidmuhammad6785]

whenever you steam it or cooking it with a rice cooker if the rice is not clean enough, it couldn't separate easily when you stir-fry. make sure all rice starch excess is removed. the starch is the glue, the less starch causes easier to the rice tosaperate each other.

[@PeregrineBF]

Agreed, the wash water was still cloudy in the video. It should be clear. I usually find 5-7 washes works, though it does depend on the rice batch.

[@danielpincus221]

This inspired me to try something again. I put two mason jar lids in my pressure cooker, and added an inch of water. On top of those, acting as a trivet, I put a large ramekin with brown rice, with water to cover barely to cover. I pressure cooked it for about 30 minutes. Perfect.

[@daoudnawaz]

Loving this series 😋🔥

[@thebigh4752]

Uncle Rogers ancestors are singing "Fuiyoooooooooh......" in unison.

[@johnryan8645]

We would love to see Uncle Roger show up here!!!!

[@ZeusRyl2]

nahh i think he will say a lot of haiyaaaa

[@autumist]

Uncle Roger should review this series after Alex perfects his fried rice. Edit: He already did one :D

[@Silly_Brain]

He already said he will... Or more exactly, that he is looking.dorward for this serie

[@christopherbishop1858]

That dude is overplaying his "asian-ness" why does everyone like him?

[@turmat01]

he commented on a lot of the videos... If you want my gut feeling... they are working on some type of collab. They don't live THAT far away either. ;)

[@NinthHeaven]

@@christopherbishop1858 because he’s funny and has actual culinary knowledge. Maybe if you could see past his “over-played asian-ness” you’d actually enjoy him and learn something from him

[@mightisright]

@@christopherbishop1858 When I use that accent people call me racist. It's not fair. But seriously, he's doing an imitation of Mickey Rooney or something and it's just as obnoxious.

[@lifeisbeautifuleveryday6817]

Bravo! Mastering fried rice looks simple but.....

[@noxillunis]

I can definitely see the same pearly look of each grain of rice as I've seen in the rice cooked in the Michelin starred restaurant you've been to. Keep up the hard work, Alex!! Cheers from Italy :)

[@coucamaya]

Was everyone as focused on the reflection in the first mins and thinking "yep he's talking to his parents wall". Or is it just me

[@vscar7744]

He was talking to the fourth wall

[@dewinmoonl]

As a Chinese person, I'm super happy you're taking this dish and making it more "Alex". That's what food is about, there's Chinese food around the world, in Vietnam, in Japan, in Italy, and Peru, etc etc. As the food travel, it adapts to different flavors, and these kinds of cultural exchange makes some of the most delicious food there is. So best of luck to your adventure on making it your own ! I hope you can figure out how to get cheese into chinese food. that will be a huge accomplishment

[@hermankarsowidjojo6771]

ERROR ERROR ERROR In Reality, this is a Universally very wrong method of "Cooking Rice". The Best and Healthiest Method is to cook the Rice Naturally and Unpolished. This Way You retain The Vitamin B12. Sincerely Yours,

[@co_li7300]

The recipe for rice is gold finding, merci :) Alex.

[@jondonson8136]

looking forward to the next episode, keep going. Love those rice episodes, greetings from Norway