Fried Rice with Herbs

Ingredients

• 2 cupfuls boiled rice (Use freshly boiled rice cooked for 25 minutes, or cold leftover rice if available. Cold rice works especially well as it fries without clumping.)
• 1.5 teaspoonfuls pork fat (Used for frying. Lard works as a direct substitute. Measure carefully — note the original recipe mentions 1½ teaspoonfuls in the ingredient list but 1½ tablespoonfuls in the method; follow the method (tablespoonfuls) for sufficient frying fat.)
• 3 stalks celery stalks (Chop very finely.)
• 1 large large onion (Peel and slice or chop before frying.)
• 5 whole water chestnuts (Slice thinly. Canned water chestnuts (drained and rinsed) work well if fresh are unavailable.)
• 1 teaspoonful salt (Add to taste when mixing the rice in.)
• 1 dash cayenne pepper (A small pinch — add more if you prefer extra heat.)
• 2 tablespoonfuls syou (soy sauce) (Syou is the historical romanisation of shoyu, the Japanese word for soy sauce. Use any standard light or all-purpose soy sauce.)

Instructions

1. 1If you do not have cold leftover rice on hand, cook your rice now so it is ready for later. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the rice, and boil uncovered for 25 minutes until fully cooked and tender. Drain well and set aside. If you are using cold leftover rice, skip this step entirely — cold rice actually fries better as it is drier and less likely to clump together.
2. 2While the rice cooks (or before you begin frying), prepare all your vegetables. Peel the large onion and slice or roughly chop it. Wash the celery stalks and chop them very finely — aim for small pieces roughly the size of a grain of rice so they cook quickly and evenly. Slice the five water chestnuts into thin rounds.
3. 3Place a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the 1½ tablespoonfuls of pork fat and let it melt and heat up — it should shimmer but not smoke. Add the chopped onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until it turns a light golden brown. This should take about 4–5 minutes. Do not let it burn; lower the heat slightly if needed.
4. 4Add the finely chopped celery and the thinly sliced water chestnuts to the pan with the browned onion. Stir everything together and continue frying over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables take on a light golden-brown colour. This should take approximately 3–4 minutes.
5. 5Add the two cupfuls of boiled (or cold leftover) rice to the pan with the vegetables. Break up any clumps with your spatula. Add the teaspoonful of salt, the dash of cayenne pepper, and the two tablespoonfuls of syou (soy sauce). Stir everything together to combine evenly. Fry over medium-high heat for ten minutes, shaking the pan and stirring constantly to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. The rice should be hot throughout and lightly coated in the seasoning.
6. 6Remove the pan from the heat. Serve the fried rice immediately while piping hot. It can be plated on its own or garnished alongside any cooked meat or fish of your choice.