I Was a Chinese Food Snob – Pork Fried Rice

I come from a family of Chinese food snobs. We would never be caught at a strip mall take-out joint or a restaurant with hanging lanterns. In college, I would announce to friends with great authority that it was impossible to find truly authentic Chinese food in America. Of course I have never been to China, but I was convinced I was right, and I rarely ate Americanized Chinese food.

First, I was wrong about authentic Chinese food in America. I realized much of what we ate at Lee How Fook in Philadelphia, where my family has been dining for over 40 years, was probably relatively high on the authenticity scale. Also, I began to explore the nooks and crannies and back allies of Chinatown in Flushing, Queens. I recognized that this food was dramatically different from your average neighborhood American Chinese restaurant. I guess you can get authentic Chinese food in America – if you know where to look.

Second, I realized that I was the only person who cared about my snobbish, self-imposed exile from Americanized Chinese restaurants, and so I ended it. I eat at these restaurants from time to time, and I have accepted that they are not the real deal.

Fried rice is one of those dishes that is ubiquitous in Americanized Chinese restaurants, but my understanding is that it is quite different from what you would get where it originated. I especially like the little nuggets of different ingredients that add up to the greater sum in the Americanized version. For me, these include the sugary crunch of barely seared onion; the pop of green peas; the softness of scrambled eggs; the light pungency of fresh scallion greens; and, the salty sweetness of bite-size pieces of Chinese char siu pork. A few years back I had an abundance of leftover rice and I decided to experiment. My fried rice was delicious, although I recognize it is not so authentic.

Of course I’ve listed my preferences for fried rice, but you can add anything you like; cooked chicken or ground pork, seared broccoli, cubes of firm five-spice tofu, cooked green beans, raw bean sprouts, and uncooked snow peas. Really, almost anything. Fried rice is ideal to use up leftovers in the refrigerator. In fact, the rice itself is far better when leftover from a previous meal. It’s a little dried out and the result won’t be gummy, leading to a higher quality texture. When I serve plain rice with a meal, I often make extra so we can have fried rice the next day.

While I still visit Lee How Fook almost every time I am in Philadelphia and I frequent Chinatown in Flushing, Queens whenever I can for authentic Chinese food, I have become less of a Chinese food snob. I eat Americanized Chinese food from time to time, and that includes my own, inauthentic version of fried rice.

Pork Fried Rice

Pork fried rice is an individual dish that every cook needs to make their own. My son, for example, adds chili peppers to make his spicy. Use this recipe as a guide, but vary it depending on your tastes and ingredients you have available.

serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side dish, about 30 minutes

1 egg

½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 medium onion, cut into ¼ to ½-inch pieces

1 quart leftover white rice

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

¾ cup Chinese char siu or roast pork, cut into ¼ to ½-inch pieces

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

green part of 1 or 2 scallions, cut into thin circles

1. Prepare all the ingredients so they are ready to go. Once started, it cooks quickly, and there is not time for additional cutting or chopping.
2. Beat the egg and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt in a small bowl.
3. Heat a wok or large heavy pot or skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When hot, add the beaten egg and stir constantly, scraping the sides of the pan, until the egg is scrambled, about 1-2 minutes. Reserve the cooked egg to a clean bowl and cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on high in the wok, pot, or skillet. Add the cut onion and allow it to sear for about a minute without stirring. Stir the onion and cook until slightly soft, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the rice, breaking up the clumps as you stir.
6. After a minute or two, add the peas, pork, reserved egg, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ground pepper, and stir to combine.
7. Add the soy sauce, and stir to coat all of the ingredients. Cook the rice until heated through and dry, perhaps another few minutes.
8. Top with fresh scallion greens and serve.

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