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Vegan Takeout-Style Fried Rice

cooked vegan fried rice in large white skillet on white stone countertop
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5 from 4 reviews

Learn how to make the best Vegan Takeout-Style Fried Rice at home, in only 20 minutes! This Fried Rice is perfectly seasoned, fluffy, and golden.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tofu “Egg”:

  • 1 teaspoon peanut oil*
  • 7 ounces (200 g) firm tofu, pressed
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon Kala Namak (black salt), for an eggy flavor

For the Fried Rice:

  • 1 ½ tablespoons peanut oil*
  • ½ yellow onion, diced 
  • 3 scallions, chopped; white and green parts divided 
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup/160 g)
  • ⅔ cup (90 g) frozen peas
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups (680 g) cooked rice*
  • 3-4 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or lite soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • Optional: toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep: use a chopstick or your hands to break up the cold rice until no large clumps remain; return to the fridge until you are ready to use it.
  2. Make the Tofu “Egg”: heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan, then add in the turmeric and stir well. Use a spatula to break up the tofu further, if any piece is too large. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the tofu is yellow and the turmeric has completely dissolved. Transfer the tofu into a small bowl and stir in the black salt, if using; Otherwise, season with regular salt to taste. Set aside; quickly clean out the pan and return it to the burner.
  3. Aromatics + Veggies: warm the remaining peanut oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, white parts of the scallions, and garlic to the pan; sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and golden. Then, add in the carrots, peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the peas have thawed.
  4. Add the Rice: bring the heat to high, then add in the separated rice. Mix everything together with a spatula until the vegetables are evenly incorporated. Then, cook the rice for 5-7 minutes, stirring only occasionally. This enhances the flavor of the rice, and allows some crispy bits to form.
  5. Final Seasonings: reduce the heat to medium-high; form a well in the center of the skillet, then pour in the tamari. Quickly stir the rice around, to evenly coat everything. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the extra liquid has evaporated. Turn the heat off, then stir in the vegan “egg”, toasted sesame oil and green parts of the scallions. Add additional salt and pepper, if desired. 
  6. Serve: let the rice sit in the skillet until the residual heat has warmed the “egg”, then transfer to serving plates and top as desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Oil: any high-heat oil will work here, though a lot of restaurants will use peanut oil. Hibachi-style restaurants use butter with their fried rice, so you can also swap the oil for equal parts plant-based butter if you’re looking for that flavor profile. If you choose to omit the oil from this recipe, the rice will stick together and turn mushy.
  • Rice: Fried rice is normally made with long-grain white rice because it has slightly less starch, but another variety of white rice or brown rice will also work here. Brown rice will slightly change the overall flavor, though.
  • Kala Namak (black salt) and toasted sesame oil both lose their flavor with heat, so it’s important to add the tofu “egg” and finishing oil only at the end of cooking after the heat has been turned off.
  • Vegan Egg Substitutions: if you do not wish to make the tofu egg you can leave it out, or replace it with JUST Egg – cook the product in a separate skillet like you would the tofu egg, then thinly slice it before adding it to the fried rice at the end of cooking.

Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/vegan-takeout-style-fried-rice/