This sweet and spicy pork fried rice recipe is a meal you can make with scrappy vegetables and day-old rice. No leftover rice? No problem. This post will show you how to make fried rice with fresh rice instead!
I love a good fried rice recipe and have a few on the site, like my miso fried rice and crab fried rice. And yes, of course I have another pork fried rice recipe because I love, love, love pork fried rice.
How to make fried rice with fresh rice
I don’t know about you, but leftover rice just isn’t a thing in my house. We’re ravenous with rice; when I make a pot, it’s getting eaten in one sitting. Or we have so little leftover that we would only be able to make the tiniest little bowl of fried rice ever. If you find yourself craving fried rice but you only have fresh rice, you can still make it work.
Why leftover rice for fried rice
To understand the process of making fresh rice work for fried rice, you should understand why leftover rice is preferred in the first place. The most important factor is moisture. When you make a big pot of fluffy, fresh rice there is a surprising amount of moisture caught between the grains of rice. If you throw in a pot of warm rice into a hot skillet or wok, that excess moisture will cause the rice to become mushy and soggy. The rice will sort of glue together into clumps. Trust me, it’s not a pretty sight.
Refrigerating the rice overnight causes the excess moisture to evaporate, leaving it dry. When you add this dry rice to a hot skillet, the individual grains separate and maintain their texture. The coldness also allows the grains of rice to truly fry, as opposed to the rice sticking to the skillet or itself.
Do I have to use leftover rice for fried rice?
In an ideal world, yes you should use leftover rice for fried rice. But life happens. Since you know that moisture is the enemy of fried rice, the following steps for cooking fried rice with fresh rice will seem like a no-brainer. Let’s dig in.
How to make fried rice with fresh rice
- Step 1: Cook the rice. Boil a pot of rice before you begin dicing or slicing anything for your recipe. Combine 1 cup of jasmine rice and 2 cups of water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5–10 minutes.
- Step 2: Transfer to a bowl or baking tray. Turn the rice into a large mixing bowl or a baking tray. A baking tray is preferable since you can spread the rice into an even layer. If using a bowl, use a spatula to flatten the rice up the sides of the bowl. The idea is to avoid having big piles of rice because it’ll take way longer to get rid of the moisture. Whatever vessel you use, just be sure the rice is in an even, flat layer as much as possible.
- Step 3: Get rid of that moisture! Pop the baking tray or bowl into the freezer for 15–20 minutes. The icy cold air will cause the moisture to evaporate very quickly and dry out the rice pretty effectively.
At this point, the rice will be reasonably dry with a texture that is akin to day-old rice. It’s not exactly the same, but if you want fried rice and you don’t have leftover rice, this is your best bet.
How to make this sweet and spicy pork fried rice recipe
Once your rice is in the freezer, you can start this easy, breezy, sweet and spicy pork fried rice. My one recommendation–as with all fried rice recipes–is to prep, prep, prep. Get everything chopped and diced and sliced before you begin cooking. You will save yourself a world of pain.
What you need
- Pork: You need just 6 ounces of pork. You can use really any cut you like, but I opt for a small boneless pork chop with minimal fat. You can use pork tenderloin, ground pork, or a bone-in pork chop that you cut the meat from the bone.
- Egg: I like the mixture of one egg plus an egg yolk. Because I’m using a lean cut of pork, the egg yolk adds an extra richness that works well.
- Mushrooms: I love beech mushrooms for this recipe, but sliced cremini or shiitake caps will also work nicely.
- Scallions: You can use minced shallot or yellow onion if you don’t have scallions.
- Bell pepper: You can swap the bell pepper out for any number of veggies, like diced carrots, celery, small-diced sweet potato, small broccoli florets, or frozen peas or edamame.
- Cabbage: I use shredded Napa cabbage, but green cabbage also works well!
- Rice: Obviously! Use a long-grain white rice; leftover is preferred but you can use the method I wrote about above to approximate the texture with fresh rice.
Cook the pork and eggs
- Step 1: It starts with the pork. Fry it up in a little oil until it’s nice and golden brown. I used a skillet, but a wok is the superior choice; either will work!
- Step 2: Add the whisked eggs once you remove the pork from the skillet. Don’t touch them until they are partially set up, then break them up with a spatula. Transfer them to a bowl. Once they’re cool enough to handle, you can finely chop them or leave them in bigger pieces; the choice is yours!
Cook the vegetables
- Step 3: Before you begin the vegetables, whisk the sauce ingredients together until smooth and set them aside.
- Step 4: You’ll cook the vegetables in layers. Start with the mushrooms, then add the bell pepper and scallions.
- Step 5: Finish with the cabbage once the hardier vegetables are cooked. It cooks the quickest, so it’s best to add it last.
Assemble the fried rice
- Step 6: It’s time to layer all the ingredients together. Add the pork to the skillet, then the egg, and finish with the rice.
- Step 7: Stir to incorporate the ingredients. Warm the rice completely and let it fry in the skillet or wok until it crisps up just a touch in places.
Finish the fried rice
- Step 8: Pour in the sauce and stir gently to coat the rice with the sauce. Cook until the rice absorbs the sauce completely.
- Step 9: Admire those individually coated rice grains, thanks to your little trick of freezing the fresh rice first! Beautiful!
Now it’s time to serve! Spoon the sweet and spicy pork fried rice onto your favorite serving platter and garnish with a pinch of reserved minced scallions. It also makes for perfect lunch leftovers.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I did. If you make it, please rate the recipe below and add a comment! I’d love to hear how it turns out for you.
Sweet and Spicy Pork Fried Rice
Equipment
- Skillet or wok
- Small pot
Ingredients
Fried rice:
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more if needed
- 6 ounces boneless pork chop, small-diced
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, whisked together in a small bowl
- 4 ounces beech mushrooms or use sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms
- 3 scallions, trimmed and minced; a pinch reserved for garnish
- 1 small red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and small-diced
- 1 cup shredded Napa or green cabbage
- 3 cups day-old white rice (see note)
- Salt and pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
Cook the pork:
- Blot off any excess moisture from the pork using a paper towel. Season it with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook in an even layer for 8–10 minutes until well-browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the egg:
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and let it cook untouched for 1–2 minutes. Once the egg is partially set, break it into big pieces using a spatula or spoon. Once the egg cooks through, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, you can finely chop the egg or leave it in big pieces, depending on your preference.
Make the sauce:
- Before you fry the vegetables, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the miso melts. Taste and add more of any ingredients until the sauce reaches your desired sweetness, spiciness, and saltiness.
Fry the mushrooms:
- If the skillet or wok seems dry, add another drizzle of oil and let it heat up over medium-high. Once hot, add the beech mushrooms and cook, turning occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until they turn golden brown.
Fry the remaining vegetables:
- Add the scallions and red bell pepper and toss to combine. Cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and fry, stirring regularly, for 2–3 minutes until completely wilted.
Finish the rice:
- Add the pork and egg to the skillet and toss to combine. Fold in the day-old rice and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes to warm the rice through. Some bits of rice on the bottom should begin to crisp up.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and immediately toss to coat. Continue tossing to coat the rice for 1–2 minutes. Taste, season, and remove from the heat as soon as the rice absorbs the sauce.
To serve:
- Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the reserved minced scallions. Enjoy!
