Chahan

Ingredients

• 10½ ozCooked ricecooled or lukewarm, loosen the grains first
• 2 clovesGarlicfinely chopped or thinly sliced, bloomed in the oil
• 2Eggbeaten, fried separately or mixed into the rice
• 1¾ ozRoast pork (char siu)cut into small dice
• 1⅓ ozSpring onioncut into fine rings
• 5Shiso leavescut into fine strips, folded in at the very end (optional)
• 1 tspSoy saucedrizzled down the rim of the pan at the end
• 2 tbspVegetable oilfor frying
• 1 tspSesame oiladded at the end for aroma
• 1 tspChicken stock powderstirred into the rice as base seasoning
• 1 tbspSakefor deglazing (optional)
• Saltto taste
• Pepperto taste
• 1 ozCarrotvery finely diced (optional)
• 1Onionfinely chopped (optional)

Method

1. Finely chop or thinly slice the garlic, cut the char siu into small dice and the spring onion into fine rings. If you're using them, dice the carrot and onion very finely. Cut the shiso leaves into fine strips and set them aside. Loosen the cooked rice with your hands or a spoon so there are no clumps left.
2. Beat the eggs and pour them into a little hot vegetable oil, stirring until they just set. Take the still-soft egg out of the pan and set it aside.
3. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan and fry the garlic over medium heat until it smells fragrant — don't let it darken.
4. Add the diced char siu and the prepared vegetables, fry briefly, then deglaze with the sake.
5. Turn the heat up high, add the rice and fry until loose and crumbly, turning it constantly and pressing the grains apart with the spatula until they separate.
6. Season with chicken stock powder, salt and pepper. Return the egg to the pan and fold it in roughly so it stays in pieces.
7. Fold in the shiso strips and the green parts of the spring onion, pour the soy sauce down the hot rim of the pan and add the sesame oil. Mix through briefly and take the pan off the heat.
8. Divide the chahan between two bowls and scatter the remaining spring onion rings over the top.
9. Serve straight away, while the grains are still loose and the sesame oil is clearly there in the steam.

Tips and variations

Cold rice from the day before fries up loosest; if you're working with freshly cooked rice, mix it with a raw egg beforehand and the grains will stay separate too. Season the egg with salt and a pinch of sugar while frying it. For a spicy five-ingredient version, season with toban djan and fry bell pepper, bamboo shoots and shiitake along with the rest; fresh pork works in place of char siu, in which case salt and cooking sake are seasoning enough, with okahijiki as the green vegetable. There's also a chahan made entirely in the microwave, using crumbled, drained tofu to stretch it, topped with pine nuts, sesame and coriander. For crunch, fold in a little salad leaf right at the end.