How to cook rice (Thai style / Chinese takeaway style)

Although there are a wide variety of instant rice packs available nowadays, the fragrance and texture of freshly cooked rice is far superior.  It’s much more cost effective too and with the method detailed below you’ll find, I hope, that you achieve perfect results every time.

I use Green Dragon jasmine rice to accompany Thai / Chinese takeaway style dishes.  The absorption method described below is fool-proof and takes less than half an hour, including the time it takes to wash the rice before cooking.  Another great advantage to cooking it this way is that the final step sees the rice put to one side to rest for 10 minutes, leaving ample time to prepare an accompanying stir fry dish.

For egg fried rice, simply cook the rice the day before and your cooked and cooled rice will be perfectly ready the next day to be transformed into Chinese takeaway style fried rice.

It’s easy to increase the quantity of rice cooked simply by ensuring the ratios are kept the same (1 part rice to 1.5 parts water) – so for every portion of rice needed, 100g of jasmine rice with 150ml of water will give perfect results.

Jasmine Rice (absorption method)

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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese, Thai, Chinese Takeaway
Keyword: rice, jasmine rice, steamed rice
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 1 portion

Ingredients

  • 100 grams jasmine rice
  • 150 ml water

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or pot, cover the rice with water and mix gently by hand. Drain off the cloudy, starchy water. Repeat this process twice more until the water is clear. Pour the rice through a sieve and rinse once more, then add the drained rice to a pot.
  • Add the water to the rice and heat on full heat until boiling. As soon as the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest possible available, cover with a lid and cook for 12 minutes.
  • After 12 minutes, switch off the heat and leave the rice covered for a further 10 minutes.
  • Gently fluff up the rice with a fork and pour into a serving bowl to serve alongside your favourite Chinese or Thai stir-fry dishes. If the rice is intended for later use as fried rice, pour the cooked rice on to a plate and cool quickly before covering and placing in the fridge for 24 hours.

Notes

This absorption method works every time.  To make more than one portion at a time, simply increase the volume of ingredients whilst sticking to the 1 part rice 1.5 parts water ratio.
Green Dragon Thai jasmine rice is aromatic and is used widely in the takeaway industry.  It’s perfect for both plain cooked jasmine rice and egg fried rice. 


With your rice cooked and ready to eat, you can pair it with your favourite Thai / Chinese takeaway style main course.  If you’d like to use your cooked rice to make egg fried rice, spread the cooked rice on to a plate, cool it as quickly as possible (you can fan the rice for a minute or two to speed this up), cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, your rice will have dried out and should be ready to turn into egg fried rice using the recipe detailed below.

Egg Fried Rice in a takeaway style foil tray.

Egg Fried Rice (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Add the perfect side to your next fakeaway night with this Chinese takeaway style egg fried rice recipe.
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese, Chinese Takeaway, Scottish Chinese, Chinese Takeaway Style
Keyword: rice, fried rice, egg fried rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Resting Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 34 minutes
Servings: 1 portion

Ingredients

Stovetop

  • 100 grams long grain rice
  • 50 grams jasmine rice
  • 225 ml water

Rice Cooker

  • 2/3 rice cooker cup long grain rice
  • 1/3 rice cooker cup jasmine rice
  • water to the '1 cup' level on the rice cooker

Egg Fried Rice

  • 1 egg
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (a pinch)
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 1 portion cooked and cooled rice as above
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon MSG

Instructions

  • Put 100 grams long grain rice and 50 grams jasmine rice (2/3 rice cooker cup long grain rice, 1/3 rice cooker cup jasmine rice) in a sieve over a bowl and cover with fresh water. Mix the rice briefly by hand to agitate it – the water will become cloudy as excess starch is released from the rice. Drain the water and repeat the process twice more until the water is clear. Give the rice a final rinse with water, then drain well once more and tip into the rice cooker pot or stovetop pot.
  • Rice Cooker Method: Add water to the '1 cup' level indicated in your rice cooker and cook on 'long grain' setting. When the rice is cooked, fluff it up with a rice spoon, close the lid and leave on 'keep warm' setting for 10 minutes. Pour the rice on to a plate and set aside to cool as quickly as possible.
    Stovetop Method: Cover the washed and drained rice with 225 ml water. Bring to the boil over a high heat and, as soon as the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest available setting and cover the pan with a lid. Let the rice cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand for another 10 minutes, resisting the urge to lift the lid. Fluff the rice up with a fork, pour on to a plate and set aside to cool as quickly as possible.
    Once the cooked rice is cooled, cover and set aside in the fridge overnight or until needed (up to 2 days).
  • In a small bowl, add 1 egg and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Mix briefly. Heat a wok or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, then add the prepared egg mix. Stir-fry the egg for 20 seconds until it's scrambled and almost cooked through. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed. Add 1 portion cooked and cooled rice and 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and mix well. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice is piping hot. Season with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon MSG and mix well once more.
    Increase the heat to high and continue to stir-fry rice for a further minute or so until the texture is dry and rice grains appear to pop or dance around in the middle of the wok.
  • Transfer piping hot egg fried rice to a serving plate, or keep warm in a food container while you prepare other dishes. Serve with your favourite curry or stir-fry dishes.

Notes

  • Add a touch more dark soy sauce to add deeper colour to the rice.
  • Add cooked chicken, pork, beef, king prawns or mixed vegetables for a more substantial dish.
  • Finish with a touch of chopped garlic in oil, aromatic oil or sesame oil for extra flavour.

4 thoughts on “How to cook rice (Thai style / Chinese takeaway style)

  1. Love the post, I also have green dragon rice but in my rice cooker it comes out too sticky I’m washing properly so I must be using too much water, will the ratio you mentioned work in a rice cooker.?

    1. Thanks Alex – I have to be honest and say I’ve never used a rice cooker although I have been tempted to get one over the years. I use a small pot with a lid and the results are so consistent using the quantities I mentioned that it comes out perfect every time – I’d definitely give it a try with those quantities in your rice cooker. Let me know how it goes!

  2. I saw your story in BBC and really touched by your journey becoming a more confident person due to doing something you enjoy and make friends on the way. Well, as an ethnic Chinese mother (I work full time but love cooking for my family) I want to check your Chinese food ? so I checked this fry rice recipe. Overall the way you cooking is right but pls omit MSG in any ingredient as they are not healthy instead you may find chicken or vegetable stock powder in supermarkets. For frying eggs, no need to add water. For my family, I add chopped ham, sweetcorn and peas too to have nicer mixed colour and more vegetable.
    I think I’ll buy some of your books for myself and for children who are leaving for universities or move out.
    I hope one day you will overcome your fear and comfortable enough to have cookery workshop or going to school to inspire people or children similar issues like you.
    All the best and take care

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