This fried rice with salted pork belly, egg and scallion has a mouth-watering aroma and flavor. Given quick and easy it is to make this amazing dish, I bet it will soon become one of your go-to recipes for a quick yet satisfying meal!
This pork belly fried rice reminds me of the fried rice that I grew up eating in Taiwan. The savory pork belly plus the fragrance of scallion and ginger stir fried in pork fat, along with golden crispy scrambled eggs and rice makes this fried rice extra appetizing. It's so delicious that you really have to give it a try!
Many people think you have to use cold leftover rice for making fried rice, but that's not true. Most of the restaurants or venders in Taiwan use warm fresh rice when they make fried rice.
While it is easier to make fried rice with cold rice, if you cook the rice properly, you can definitely make delicious fried rice with fresh cooked rice. In this post I will show you how to do so and provide you with all the necessary tips and tricks.
If you like this recipe, make sure you also try my authentic lu rou fan, Taiwanese sesame oil chicken rice and 10-minute beef and egg over rice.
Why You Need to Try This Recipe
- It's quick, easy and super tasty! Great for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.
- I will teach you how cook rice for making fried rice (with secret tips!), so you don't need to always have cold leftover rice to make it.
- You will learn tips and tricks for how to add more flavor and fragrance to your fried rice.
- The leftovers freeze and reheat well!
Ingredients You'll Need
Here are the main ingredients you'll need for making this recipe. Check the recipe box below for the full ingredient list with actual measurement.
Notes
- Pork belly - You can use pork belly with or without skin.
- Rice cooking wine - Rice cooking wine helps eliminate any unpleasant smell from the pork. I use mijiu, but you can also use Shaoxing wine or sake.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 - Cook white rice. (Skip this step if you have leftover rice.)
Add rice, water, oil, salt and rice cooking wine in rice cooker and cook according to the instruction of your rice cooker. Once it's done cooking, fluff the rice and cover until it's ready to use.
Step 2 - Slice and marinate pork belly.
Cut your pork belly into ½ inch (1cm) wide slices. Place pork belly slices in a bowl and toss them with rice cooking wine, white pepper, sugar and salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes or a few hours in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Step 3 - Cook pork belly and cut into strips.
Heat a skillet over medium heat (I use a 12 inch cast iron skillet, see Recipe FAQs at the bottom concerning wok or skillet use), once the skillet is hot, place pork belly slices in and cook until both sides are golden brown. Once the fat begins to render, lower the heat to prevent hot oil from popping and splattering.
Cut the pork belly slices into strips, place them in a bowl and set it aside.
Step 4 - Fried eggs and aromatic ingredients.
Turn the heat back to medium to medium high heat, in the same skillet with the fat from pork belly, add in beaten eggs and use a spatula to stir and cut into small pieces. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, minced ginger, and the light green portion of your scallions. Continue to stir and cook until the eggs turn golden brown.
Step 5 - Stir in rice, pork belly and finish up.
Add cooked rice and pork belly strips into the skillet, continue to use the spatula to break the cluster of rice and fold in the pork belly and eggs until the rice is well incorporated, about 3 minutes.
Season with black pepper and salt and then stir for another 30 seconds or so. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (or more if your rice is dryer) of water over the rice and give it a quick stir to rehydrate the rice. Finally, mix in the dark green portion of your scallions and serve.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Using properly cooked rice is the key to success. Fried rice made with mushy or undercooked rice won't taste good.
- Cooking rice with oil and a bit of cooking wine allow the rice to be fluffier and less sticky, which makes the stir-frying process a bit easier.
- Cooking scramble egg until golden brown while bring out the aroma from scallion and ginger is the key to making this dish aromatic, so don't be rush on this step!
- Adding water at the end helps rehydrate the rice, especially if it takes longer for you to incorporate the rice with other ingredients. I usually start with adding 3 tablespoons before testing to see if more water is needed.
If you need sides to go with your fried rice, Asian cucumber salad with miso and sesame, tomato egg drop soup and air fryer Chinese eggplants with garlic soy dressing are all great options!
Recipe FAQs
The aroma of pork fat is the key that makes this fried rice exceptional, so I highly recommend making this with pork belly. However, if you would like to use other parts like pork loin, add 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil when you cook them.
Yes you can if you prefer. You will need to adjust the amount of water when cooking brown rice.
I've tried seasoning this dish with both soy sauce and just salt and found that I prefer the flavor of seasoning with just salt. But feel free to try both ways and see which one you prefer. I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce first before tasting to see if you need more.
You can store the leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for one month. To reheat, drizzle a bit of water over the fried rice and microwave until it's hot.
I used a cast iron skillet because we have an electric range. If you have a gas range, you can use a wok for more space and pan to rice contact area.
More Easy Weeknight Recipes for You
I would like to hear from you! If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and comment in the section further down the page. Stay in touch by following my Instagram and Pinterest!
Pork Belly Fried Rice with Egg and Scallion
Ingredients
White Rice (Can be Replaced with 3 Cups of Cooked White Rice)
- 1 cup uncooked white rice , regular cup, not rice cooker cup
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine (mijiu), can be replace with sake.
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
Pork Belly and Marinated Ingredients
- ¼ lb pork belly
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine (mijiu), can be replace with sake.
- ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Other Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 stalks scallion , sliced and separate light and dark green parts.
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- black pepper , to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- 3 tablespoon water
Instructions
Cook White Rice (Skip this step if you are using leftover rice)
- Add rice, water, oil, salt and rice cooking wine in rice cooker and cook according to the instruction of your rice cooker. Once it's done cooking, fluff the rice and cover until it's ready to use.
Prepare Pork Belly
- While the rice is cooking, cut your pork belly into ½ inch (1cm) wide slices. Place pork belly slices in a bowl and toss them with rice cooking wine, white pepper powder, sugar and salt. Cover and let it sit for 15 minutes or a few hours in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Cook Pork Belly and Cut into Strips
- Heat a skillet over medium heat (I use a 12 inch cast iron skillet, see FAQs in the post concerning wok or skillet use), when the skillet is hot, place pork belly slices in and cook until both sides are golden brown. Once the fat begins to render, lower the heat to prevent hot oil from popping and splattering.
- Cut the pork belly slices into strips, place them in a bowl and set it aside.
Fried Eggs and Aromatic Ingredients
- Turn the heat back to medium to medium high heat, in the same skillet with the fat from pork belly, add in beaten eggs and use a spatula to stir and cut into small pieces.
- Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, minced ginger, and the light green portion of your scallions. Continue to stir and cook until the eggs turn golden brown.
Stir in Rice, Pork Belly and Finish Up
- Add cooked rice and pork belly strips into the skillet, continue to use the spatula to break the cluster of rice and fold in the pork belly and eggs until the rice is well incorporated, about 3 minutes.
- Season with black pepper and salt and then stir for another 30 seconds or so. Drizzle 3 tablespoons (or more if your rice is dryer) of water over the rice and give it a quick stir to rehydrate the rice. Finally, mix in the dark green portion of your scallions and serve.
Notes
- Using properly cooked rice is the key to success. Fried rice made with mushy or undercooked rice won't taste good.
- Cooking rice with oil and a bit of cooking wine allow the rice to be fluffier and less sticky, which makes the stir-frying process a bit easier.
- Cooking scramble egg until golden brown while bring out the aroma from scallion and ginger is the key to making this dish aromatic, so don't be rush on this step!
- Adding water at the end helps rehydrate the rice, especially if it takes longer for you to incorporate the rice with other ingredients. I usually start with adding 3 tablespoons before testing to see if more water is needed.
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