Savory Onion and Eggplant Fried Rice with Oyster Sauce
Easy Homemade Onion and Eggplant Fried Rice Recipe with Oyster Sauce
Fried rice is one of my go-to meals, and today I decided to whip up a simple onion and eggplant fried rice using ingredients I had on hand. I added oyster sauce to enhance its savory depth and umami. This recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious meal!
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 onion
- 1/2 carrot
- 3 eggs
- 50g ham
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of black pepper
- Cooking oil, as needed
- 3 cups cooked rice
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your aromatics and vegetables. Finely dice one onion. Aim for small, even pieces for the best texture in your fried rice.
Step 2
Next, finely mince half a carrot. Cutting it smaller than the onion will help it cook through evenly and integrate seamlessly into the rice.
Step 3
Dice the eggplant into small, bite-sized pieces. Eggplant tends to absorb oil, so dicing it small is key to preventing the dish from becoming too greasy.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, whisk the three eggs until well combined. You can add a tiny pinch of salt if you like, but it’s optional as the soy sauce and oyster sauce will provide plenty of seasoning.
Step 5
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Pour in the whisked eggs and scramble them quickly. Cook just until the eggs are mostly set but still slightly moist – we don’t want them overcooked. Remove the scrambled eggs from the pan and set them aside.
Step 6
Add about 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to the same pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, along with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat until the onions become translucent and the carrots begin to soften, releasing their aroma.
Step 7
Once the onions and carrots are fragrant, add the diced eggplant and 50g of chopped ham to the pan. Continue to stir-fry until the eggplant is tender and slightly softened.
Step 8
When the vegetables are almost cooked through, push them to one side of the pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce into the empty space. Let it bubble and caramelize slightly for a few seconds to develop a ‘wok hei’ flavor, then stir everything together to coat the ingredients.
Step 9
Add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 0.5 tablespoon of sugar. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and seasonings. Cook for another minute, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
Step 10
Add the 3 cups of cooked rice (preferably day-old or chilled rice for best texture) and the reserved scrambled eggs to the pan. Break up any clumps of rice with your spatula and stir-fry everything vigorously over high heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This helps the rice grains to separate and absorb the flavors.
Step 11
Turn off the heat. Drizzle in 0.5 tablespoon of sesame oil and a pinch of black pepper. Gently toss everything together to distribute the sesame oil evenly. The residual heat will warm everything through.
Step 12
Your delicious Onion and Eggplant Fried Rice with Oyster Sauce is now ready! Enjoy the delightful combination of tender vegetables, fluffy rice, and savory sauce.
