Fried Rice

• Origin: China
• Common Ingredients: eggs, vegetables, and seafood or meat

Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten as a main dish or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui dynasty in China. The earliest record of fried rice is in the Sui dynasty (589–618 AD) in China, particularly in the city of Yangzhou. It was developed as a practical solution for using leftover rice, which would otherwise harden after cooling. By stir-frying day-old rice with oil, eggs, vegetables and small amounts of meat, households were able to create a new dish that was both flavourful and economical.