Every once in awhile a supporting actress seems to rival the star. You love the movie star and you probably bought the tickets for the star, but in the end you want more of the supporting actress. Now, we are not talking Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids here. We are talking about the wonderful and addicting fried rice accompanying the delicious hibachi meals at Ginza Japanese Cuisine.
A staple at any hibachi style restaurant, fried rice is prepared in front of your eyes with flaming onion towers, rolling eggs, and that always exciting chance to prove that you can gracefully catch the food tossed at you in your mouth. However, something about the fried rice at Ginza stands out. It’s not a mystery. It’s the rice. While Ginza owners, Sho and Ratiya, spent countless hours choosing the perfect rice that would be firm, but not too sticky, you can actually use day old or leftover rice to create a similar effect.
This fried rice recipe provided by Ginza is quite versatile. Make it as written and use it as side dish, add some vegetables for additional crunch and flavor, or add some protein to turn this side dish into an entrée. Use as much or as little soy sauce as you want and experiment with regular and low-sodium combinations. You will want a large wok to really achieve the desired flavor since very few of us have a large hibachi griddle in our kitchens.
Ginza Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup water
- vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 4 oz protein of choice: chicken, steak, shrimp, etc.
- Pinch of salt
- Butter to taste
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tsp soy sauce
Instructions (One serving)
Soak rice in water for thirty minutes. Steam the rice for another 45 minutes then let cool completely. Place rice in freezer and leave overnight.
On the next day, remove rice from freezer. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat, then add one egg. Once egg is fully cooked, add protein to skillet and cook thoroughly. Add rice to skillet along with a pinch of salt, butter to taste, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Continue cooking in skillet until rice is brown, stirring occasionally. Add around 3 teaspoons of soy sauce. Plate and enjoy!
Yum Yum Sauce – Fried Rice’s Best Friend
If you’ve been to a Japanese steakhouse or hibachi grill, ever, you know that there is a fundamental and delicious addition to almost any dish. It has been called many names—Shrimp Sauce, White Sauce—but around here, we simply call it Yum Yum Sauce. This wonderful, mayonnaise based sauce goes with everything. Shrimp, steak, sushi, vegetables. The list is endless. However, if you have yet to add a bit to your fried rice, now is your chance. This is a simple sauce to make and keep in your refrigerator. It can be adapted to low-fat or sugar free diets by simply switching the ingredients with lower calorie options. Enjoy the sauce, try it on everything, and discover why we call it Yum Yum Sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup or chili sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp rice wine or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce (more or less to taste)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp toasted sesame seed oil
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
Then, cover and chill thoroughly for several hours or overnight.
Yield: 1 ½ cups
