Black Garlic Fried Rice (Print Version)

Fragrant fried rice featuring mellow black garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil for deep umami flavor. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 3 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old, cold)

→ Aromatics

02 - 6 cloves black garlic, peeled and finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves regular garlic, minced
04 - 2 scallions, finely sliced (white and green parts separated)
05 - 1 small onion, finely diced

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, and corn or your choice), diced

→ Sauces & Seasonings

07 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
08 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, or use vegetarian alternative)
09 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Egg

12 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten (optional)

→ Oil

13 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., canola, sunflower)

# How To:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. If using eggs, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble until just set. Remove eggs and set aside.
02 - Add remaining oil to the pan. Add onions and the white parts of the scallions. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add regular garlic and black garlic. Stir-fry for another minute, gently mashing the black garlic to release its flavor.
04 - Add mixed vegetables and cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender.
05 - Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until rice is heated through.
06 - Drizzle in soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), sugar, and black pepper. Stir well to evenly coat the rice.
07 - Return scrambled eggs to the pan and mix to combine.
08 - Drizzle sesame oil over the rice and toss well.
09 - Remove from heat, garnish with green scallion tops, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Black garlic adds a deep, caramelized sweetness that feels luxurious without any extra effort.
  • It comes together in under 15 minutes using ingredients you probably already have.
  • Day-old rice transforms into something restaurant-quality with just a hot pan and good timing.
  • The sesame oil at the end ties everything together with a nutty, toasted aroma that fills the whole kitchen.
02 -
  • Cold day-old rice is absolutely essential, freshly cooked rice turns gummy and clumpy no matter how hot your pan is.
  • Don't crowd the pan or the rice will steam instead of fry, if you're doubling the recipe use two pans or cook in batches.
  • Add the sesame oil only after turning off the heat, cooking it makes it taste bitter and flat instead of fragrant.
03 -
  • If you don't have day-old rice, spread freshly cooked rice on a sheet pan and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to dry it out quickly.
  • Use the highest heat your stove can manage, fried rice needs that intense heat to develop the slightly charred, smoky flavor called wok hei.
  • Mash the black garlic cloves gently with the back of your spatula as they cook to release all their sweet, jammy flavor into the oil.
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