Search “Yangzhou” on Google and among the top options thrown up will be “Yangzhou Fried Rice”. That’s how ubiquitous this dish is. And for excellent reasons; it’s delicious, uses commonly available ingredients and is a cinch to make.
With many of us staying at home more than ever before, so increasing numbers are taking to braving the kitchen. If health codes, injections and nuclei acid tests have put you off, herein a guide to a virtual visit to Yangzhou, courtesy of one of the city’s culinary favourite that is now renown around the world; Yangzhou Fried Rice.
While the invention of Yangzhou Fried Rice is often credited to a regional magistrate of Yangzhou named Yi Bingshou (1754–1815), its actual origins are far, far earlier.
In fact, it was during that Spring and Autumn period and around 500 BCE that boatmen operating an ancient Yangzhou canal took to eating fried rice with eggs. Soon seasonings such as chopped onions were added.
It was Yi who about 2,000 years later toyed with adding shrimp, ham and other ingredients. The result is the Yangzhou Fried Rice we know and love today.
In recent years, the dish has even been awarded trademark status, albeit after two failed attempts. Trademark officials feared that were a collective trademark to be granted, the making of the dish elsewhere than Yangzhou might be an illegal act.
But in 2008, after the city applicants took expert advice and sought a certification mark instead, the application was finally granted without rights to exclusivity.
Topping it all off rather appropriately is the official Yangzhou Fried Rice logo; combining a rare flower, rice and a cooking pot, supposedly to represent rice with a taste that is fragrant and full of bloom. And the wording? Chinese characters imitating the calligraphy of one Yi Bingshou.
While the internet is full of step by step guides for making Yangzhou Fried Rice, we thought we’d call in the experts. Executive Chinese Chef at Nanjing’s Jinling Hotel, Zhen Lixiang, took us through the procedure, sharing a few secret tips along the way.
Step 1
Slice and dice the vegetables. In our version, the veggies utilised were carrots, corn, mushroom, peas and chives.
Other ingredients include ham and shrimps, although Chef Zhen explained that the shrimps are often left out if the rice is to be served with alcohol.
Step 2
How many eggs? A ratio of 1:3 for eggs to rice is the preferred option for many.
There should be roughly equal measures of each of the vegetables, ham and shrimp.
And that’s all the preparation done. Time to cook!
Step 3
Many people may miss out this step but it makes a big difference, as we witnessed. Give all the ingredients a vigorous boil for a couple of minutes.
Step 4
With the cooked vegetables drained, return the pan to the heat and add the eggs, but briefly. They should not be cooked through and should remain a little runny.
Step 5
Don’t be shy with the salt! Briskly fry all the ingredients for a few minutes. The professionals make it look easy but beware of everything escaping when fluffing up the rice!
Step 6
You’re done. Feel free to substitute vegetables of your choice but remember the two most important steps:
Boil the veg and fluff the rice!
