Chahan (Japanese Pork and Egg Fried Rice)
Light, fluffy, savory Japanese fried rice with tender chashu pork, silky scrambled egg, and fresh scallions. Each grain is coated in egg and seasoned with soy sauce, white pepper, and a hint of sesame, ready in about 15 minutes of cooking.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (3 generous servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use cold, day-old cooked Japanese short-grain rice. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a sheet pan and chill uncovered in the fridge for 1 hour (or freezer for 15 minutes) so it dries out.
- Chop everything and measure the seasonings before you turn on the heat. The stir-fry moves in under 10 minutes.
- Use your largest skillet, ideally a 12-inch (30 cm) carbon steel pan, wok, or nonstick skillet. Crowding the pan steams the rice instead of frying it.
- Open a window or turn on the exhaust fan; high heat will make some smoke.
Prep the rice
- Place the cold rice in a large bowl.
- Wet your fingers and break up every clump until the grains separate and no lumps remain.
- Set aside.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
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Ready when: Rice grains fall apart freely when you lift a spoonful.
Tip: Clumps left in the rice will stay wet and gummy in the finished dish.
Prep the aromatics
- Cube the chashu into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic.
- Slice the scallions thinly, keeping the whites and greens in separate piles.
- Mix the soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl; keep the salt and white pepper nearby.
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Ready when: All ingredients are within arm's reach of the stove.
Heat the pan
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) wok or skillet over high heat for about 1½ minutes until very hot and a drop of water evaporates instantly.
- Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil and swirl to coat the surface.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and flows thinly, with a faint wisp of smoke.
Tip: If you use a nonstick pan, heat to medium-high instead of high to protect the coating.
Scramble the egg
- Pour in the beaten eggs.
- Let them sit for 5 seconds, then stir with a spatula in big folds for about 15 seconds so they form soft, wet curds.
- Do not cook until dry.
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Ready when: Eggs are puffed and about 70% set, still glossy and wet in places.
Tip: The eggs finish cooking with the rice, so pulling them early keeps them tender.
Add rice to egg
- Immediately add all of the rice on top of the eggs.
- Press and fold the rice into the egg with the back of the spatula, breaking up the curds, and toss constantly for 2 minutes so the grains are coated in egg and begin to dry.
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Ready when: Rice grains look separate, lightly golden, and bounce in the pan; they sound dry and rustling when tossed.
Tip: Keep the rice moving. Pressing it flat for a few seconds at a time helps toast it.
Fry the pork
- Push the rice to one side.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil to the empty space, then the chashu, garlic, and scallion whites.
- Stir-fry them for 45 seconds, then toss everything together.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant (not brown) and the pork edges are sizzling and slightly crisp.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter. Lower the heat briefly if it browns too quickly.
Season the rice
- Sprinkle the salt and white pepper over the rice and toss.
- Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil mixture around the edge of the pan, not onto the rice, so it sizzles and caramelizes on the hot metal.
- Toss for 1 minute to distribute evenly.
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Ready when: Rice is evenly tan with no wet or pale patches and smells toasty and savory.
Tip: Taste a spoonful and add a pinch more salt if needed.
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Fold in the scallion greens.
- Pack the rice into a rice bowl, then invert onto plates for a dome shape, if you like.
- Top with red pickled ginger and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Rice is steaming hot, fluffy, and the scallion greens are bright green.
Tip: Serve right away; chahan loses its fluffy texture as it cools.
Good to know
Tips
- Cook in one batch only if your pan is 12 inches or larger; otherwise make two smaller batches for crisper rice.
- Add the soy sauce around the edge of the hot pan so it sears and smells smoky rather than soaking the rice.
- White pepper is traditional and gives chahan its distinctive warm, mild heat. Use black pepper only if you must, and use less.
- Fluff and break up the rice well before cooking; this is the biggest factor in a non-clumpy result.
Make ahead
"Cook the rice up to 2 days ahead, cool it quickly, and refrigerate it uncovered or loosely covered. Dice the chashu and slice the scallions up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Refrigerator: cool quickly and store airtight up to 2 days. Freezer: up to 1 month in flat portions. Reheat in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of oil for 2–3 minutes, or microwave covered with a damp paper towel until steaming hot (165°F/74°C).
Substitutions
- chashu pork (or roast pork) → Ham, Chinese char siu, or cooked bacon. Use the same weight; bacon makes it saltier, so reduce the added salt to a pinch.
- cooked Japanese short-grain rice → Day-old medium-grain or jasmine rice. Jasmine is a little drier and fluffier; the result is less sticky but still good.
- Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi) → Tamari. Use for gluten-free; the flavor is very similar.
- neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable) → Lard. Gives a richer, more restaurant-style flavor; use the same amount.