by Salvador Deville

Created on: May 16, 2008   Last Updated: December 03, 2011

Ok, so you went to Benihana and someone at your dinner table was talking about how they have seen this done a million times and they feel like they can do it themselves. Or someone mentioned how impressed they would be if YOU could produce this magnificent creation. Well, the first thing you need to realize it that, yes, you can make fried rice; but no, it will not taste exactly like the one at Benihana.

Benihana, unlike most of the at home culinary experts, makes this stuff day in and day out. They know what they are doing. Fortunately, with a little bit of practice, you will also be able to create a fantastic fried rice dish. It is not as hard as it looks, but it is not as easy as you would think. For one thing you don't have a hibachi grill. (The large flat heated surface where everything is prepared.) If you do in fact have one, more power to you and send me your address so I may come and cook on it.

I would recommend that you use a wok for cooking this meal, but if you don't even have one of these or any desire to go and purchase one get off your ass and go get one! But for right now I suppose you could use a very large saute pan if that is the only thing available at the moment. The key to this dish is to follow my very easy instructions.

1. Get the Ingredients: (there are many types of fried rice, I personally like to put a bit of beef, shrimp, and chicken in it. Of all the ingredients, you are only permitted to substitute the 3 aforementioned meats; the rest of the ingredients must be included to gain that flavor you desire.)

- 4 oz shrimp medium dice
- 4 oz beef medium dice
- 4 oz chicken medium dice
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- tsp salt
- 3 cups of rice cooked in advance
- 2 oz wok oil (substitute vegetable if necessary)
- 3 oz ham small dice
- 2 whole eggs - scrambled
- 2 oz soy sauce
- 2 oz oyster sauce
- 5 green onions slice the entire onion and stem thinly
- 4 oz (or 2 whole) carrots small dice
- 2 oz Sesame Seeds

2. Mise En Place prepare all items ahead of time. (i.e. chopping, cutting, preheating)

3. Start cooking the rice. Follow the instructions on the box. When cooked, spread out on a lined sheet pan and let cool. Fluff rice occasionally with a fork to prevent sticking.

4. Make a marinade from the cornstarch, egg white, and salt. Marinate pieces of meat for 1 hour under refrigeration.

5. Cook remaining eggs in a separate pan and set aside.

6. Heat wok until smoke rises, add the oil and swirl to coat the sides.

7. Add your decided choice of meat and cook rapidly until a light coloration arises.

8. Add the ham and heat. Add the rice and scrambled eggs and stir ingredients together. Add the sesame seeds, onions, and carrots and stir to incorporate.

9. Add the soy and oyster sauces and mix thoroughly to cover all of the rice.

10. Remember at Benihana when they for a mound of the rice and let it cook on the stove top. Do that. Clump all the fried rice together now and let it fry, hence, fried rice. But don't let it burn!

Season with salt and pepper and serve.

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