History Associated with Chinese Fried Rice

Although the precise beginnings of fried rice are lost to history, it is thought that the traditional Chinese fried rice originated in the eastern Jiangsu province city of Yangzhou at some point during the Sui dynasty (A.D. 589-618).

The Yangchow (Yangzhou) fried rice, consisting of fluffy rice cubes tossed with roasted meat, prawns, scallions, and peas, continues to be the gold standard by which all other Chinese fried rice dishes are measured. Fried rice dishes are now common in China, especially in the south, where rice is the main food.

What to serve with Fried Rice?

Fried rice is a delicious, adaptable, and filling food. It gets a boost of fresh flavour from steamed vegetables, chicken, or a crisp salad. All of your family members enjoy your flavorful main dish, but it's not enough for the feast you had in mind.

So the better query is: what goes with fried rice?

However, why not include a few side dishes for fried rice that comes with various tastes and textures that are sure to please your guests! Serving it alongside a flavorful side dish can easily elevate a simple dinner. Here, we'll discuss some of the top side dishes for Chinese fried rice.

A. Veg Side Dishes

• Chinese Broccoli

Chinese broccoli, also known as Gai Lan, is a much leafier variation of the favoured and familiar cruciferous vegetable. The thick stems and leaves are extremely crunchy and flavorful, with a hint of sweetness and bitterness. Simply steam them and serve them with fresh mushrooms to prepare them. It provides a light and healthy contrast to the fried rice and adds a pop of colour, making it the ideal accompaniment!

• Chilli Paneer Gravy

Chilli paneer is a delicious side dish that combines crisp batter-fried paneer with a tangy, hot, and slightly sour chilli sauce. Different sauces, such as chilli sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar, are used to impart some Chinese flavours while garlic and green chillies provide a hot and pungent aroma. Onions, spring onions, and bell peppers add flavour to the dish, and cornstarch gives the chilli paneer sauce its necessary silky and smooth texture. This is one of the best side dishes to serve with Chinese fried rice.

B. Non-Veg Side Dishes

• Chicken Teriyaki

The wonderfully sweet and smoky flavour of this dish will go well with the savoury rice. You can stick to vegetables like carrots, peas, broccoli, onions, leeks, and garlic since chicken teriyaki is already meaty. For this one, you might also want to use less oyster sauce. A balanced meal is produced by the savoury sides counteracting the sweetness of the chicken teriyaki.

• Chinese Pepper Chicken

With crunchy onion and cabbage, pepper chicken prepared in the Chinese style is delectable. You can taste the juicy chicken pieces' sweet and sour flavour inside. This semi-gravy pepper chicken pairs well with fried rice.

• Chicken Manchurian

Another famous Chinese side dish is chicken Manchurian, which can be served with or without gravy. If you want to eat it as an appetiser, make it dry; if you want to eat it with fried rice, make it with plenty of hot and sweet sauce.

C. International Cuisines

• Dumplings

One of the most popular ways to serve fried rice is with dumplings. These tiny bites are ideal for giving your fried rice meal a little extra kick, but be careful not to fill them too full, or they may weigh down your dish rather than enhance it. This side dish's taste and texture are key factors to consider.

• Malanga

The soft, almost milk-like texture of Malanga or Tania, which serves as a binder, makes it ideal for grating. These are so simple to make, so it is easy to understand why people adore them. Tania fritters are crunchy on the outside and have a delicious, almost nutty flavour. They make a great side dish for fried rice.

D. Wine and beverage pairings

• Champagne

Many dry sparkling wines, including Spanish cava and brut Champagne, have a very slight hint of fruity sweetness. When combined with Chinese fried rice, they become even more refreshing.

• Moscato d'Asti

Sweet sparkling wines, like Moscato d'Asti, can help to highlight and balance the fried rice.

E. Appetizers

• Gyoza

Gyoza is a delicious dumpling that has a half-moon shape. It is typically filled with minced chicken or vegetables and boiled or deep-fried. However you prepare it, fried rice is a must-have side dish to complete a delicious meal.

• Lemon Chicken

Chinese lemon chicken is added with the delightfully sweet and tangy sauce. However, the sauce is so flavorful that you need starchy food to help you soak up some of it. In light of this, fried rice is a perfect complement to it.

F. Fusion Dishes

• Wonton Tacos

Crisp wonton wrappers can be used as shells for fusion tacos. Wonton tacos with a traditional filling of cheese, lettuce, and ground beef make a delicious side dish to go with fried rice.

• Kung pao chicken wings

Chinese flavours can be added to Kung pao chicken wings to create a mouthwatering fusion dish. Chicken wings should be cooked until crispy before being tossed in kung pao sauce.

Methods for Making Chinese Fried Rice Recipes

Most Chinese fried rice is made in a wok and is considered a delicious dish. Once the rice is stir-fried well, the other ingredients are stir-fried with steamed or boiled rice. All ingredients must be cooked separately for fried rice to be cooked to perfection. Even though taking out each ingredient from the wok and adding another may be tedious, this is the right way to make Chinese fried rice. The stir-fried vegetables, chicken or eggs are separately browned, and then a final mixture of all the ingredients with rice and seasonings is made possible. When stir-frying, seasonings should be used in very small amounts. Depending on taste, you can increase the serving size.

Serving the best Chinese Fried Rice recipes

When serving Chinese fried rice, garnishing is very important. Shallots, celery, or carrots cut into different shapes with some inclusions can be used to top the dish. You can serve this rice dish as a side or a main course. This dish is a great substitute for plain rice in Chinese dinners.

Overall, fried rice is a delicious and versatile dish that is loved along with tasty side dishes worldwide.