There is a taste that chinese fried rice have....does any1 know?

Question

there is a taste that chinese fried rice have. does any1 knows what sause they use apart from soy sause.

i want to get a taste like chinese take away.

Answer 1

The secret is NOT Sesame Oil, Oyster Sauce, Dry Sherry, or MSG.  Although most Chinese restaurants do use MSG on their fried rice, there really isn't any additional sauce used besides soy sauce.  The secret actually lies in the TYPE of soy sauce used:  light soy sauce (called 生抽 or 豉油) vs. dark soy sauce (called 老抽).  The dark soy sauce gives the brown color without being too salty.

Much of our ability to taste food depends on the aroma (香味), which, for fried rice, is actually the scrambled eggs and diced scallions.  And our authentic fried rice recipe doesn't even call for soy sauce at all, but rather requires salt and sugar.  As a way of saving money, not only do Chinese restaurants use MSG instead of so much salt and sugar, even most American preserved food have it (such as canned chicken broth, chicken noodle soup, as well as potato & Dorito chips....I just happen to notice all this because I am allergic to MSG).  

However, the authentic fried rice recipe is one of the ways to TEST a chef's cooking skill & experience, because it requires years of development to be able to toss that wok round and round to EVENLY disperse the salt & sugar throughout the rice:  EVERY PIECE of rice MUST absorb the salt & sugar evenly.  So if you happen to step into a grand-opening Chinese restaurant, order a Beef Dry Chow Fun (干炒牛河), Fried Rice (not the basic one that they give as a side to every order, which has been sitting around all day), or the Steam Rice (to test the texture) to test the head chef's cooking skill.  

Another KEY ingredient requirement is "overnight chilled rice" (冷飯) which the cooked rice must sit in the fridge over night to be able to produce a non-soggy texture.  Although you can use cooked rice that has been "aired out" for several hours with the lid off, you still would not be able to produce the same texture as overnight chilled rice.

Answer 2

we use oyster sauce from the oriental market

Answer 3

Asian toasted/dark sesame oil.  It's sold in small bottles and used as a seasoning.  You don't use it as a primary cooking oil.  A good market should have it in the Asian foods aisle.

Pick up a bottle and give it a sniff.  You'll instantly recognize it as that special flavor that you associate with most Chinese foods.

Store it in the fridge.  The oil can start to go rancid after a few months stored at room temperature but will last nearly forever in the fridge.

Answer 4

Monosodium Glutamate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_...

Answer 5

Garlic, ginger, green onion and sesame oil are all fair game for fried rice, but I think the unique flavor is from the carmelization of the soy and the rice itself in the process.  Also, actually burning the garlic (which most home cooks think is bad) may add to the taste you are looking for.  I like burned garlic in some of my food and think it enhances the flavors.

Lastly MSG.  Chinese places use this to enhance flavor all the time.

Answer 6

I think it's the MSG that is put in it...

Answer 7

It usually has soy sauce and oyster sauce, also... the rice is usually cooked 1 day before it is fried... hope this helps ;-)

Answer 8

It's a combination of several things.  It usually has soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dry sherry.  That's in addition to the rice and vegetables. etc.

Answer 9

oyster sauce or fish sauce.....

Answer 10

I'll go with MSG as well. Most food, including Chinese food, includes MSG (ajinomoto). If you're not allergic, you can consume small quantities without much harm.

Answer 11

You can use oyster sauce.  I wouldn't suggest MSG just because there are alot of people who are allergic, but same with oyster sauce.  Check to see if the people eating it are allergic to either and make your decision based on that.  I don't know who does your take away, experiment with both :D.