This simple rice dish hails from Japan, but I first discovered it while living in Thailand. It’s a common side dish at many hot pot and “self-barbecue” restaurants, where you grill your own meats at the table. It’s the perfect accompaniment because the grilled meats are usually quite plain in flavor, so having a side of rice with a bit more flair, like garlic fried rice, really balances the meal.
INGREDIENTS
- Neutral cooking oil (as needed)
- 1 head of garlic
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 650g cooked short-grain Japanese rice (see note)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp dashi powder (hondashi), dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Crushed seaweed (aonori) for garnish (optional)
Note: To yield 650g cooked rice, start with 1 ½ cups of raw Japanese short-grain rice (or 2 “rice cups” using the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker).
INSTRUCTIONS
- Thinly slice about 40% of the garlic for garlic chips (or chop them into small pieces if you prefer fried garlic bits). Finely chop the remaining garlic.
- To make the garlic chips, heat about a centimeter of oil in a small pot or wok over medium heat. Test the oil by adding a small piece of garlic; once it starts bubbling, add the rest of the garlic. Lower the heat and fry gently until golden and the bubbling subsides. Remove and drain the garlic on a paper towel, saving the garlic oil for later.
- In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and black pepper, sautéing for a few minutes until the garlic becomes aromatic and soft. If you want more richness, add a little of the reserved garlic oil.
- Add the cooked rice to the skillet, followed by soy sauce, dashi mixture, and salt. Turn the heat up to high and toss well, breaking up any rice clumps with the back of your spatula.
- Once the rice is well-mixed, push it to one side of the pan to make space for the eggs. Drizzle a bit of garlic oil into the empty space, then crack the eggs into the pan. Break the yolks, let them set briefly, then cover with the rice and cook for another 30 seconds. Toss everything together to scramble the eggs into the rice.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped green onions.
- Serve the garlic fried rice, garnished with crushed seaweed and garlic chips if desired. Enjoy!
