How To Get The Fluffiest Scrambled Eggs In Your Fried Rice

Fried rice is a staple in the cuisines of many cultures that, on the outside, seems incredibly simple to make. Consisting of rice, veggies, eggs, soy sauce, and sometimes meat, it's a good case of "How hard can it be?" Unfortunately, fried rice can be tricky, especially when it comes to producing fluffy eggs. 

Tossing your eggs directly into the rice and letting them cook can be very tempting. However, this will result in the beaten eggs breaking up into little pieces, coating the rice, and generally just making a mess. You definitely won't end up with the big pieces of fluffy egg that you find in your favorite restaurant dishes. Fortunately, there is an easy way to avoid this. All you have to do is cook your eggs separately. 

To get fluffy scrambled eggs when making the perfect fried rice, the key is to preheat your wok or pan and add a bit of oil, such as peanut or canola, once it's hot. Turn the heat down low. You want to let the heat of the pan or wok do the cooking instead of the burner because too much heat will scorch the eggs. When you add your beaten eggs, they should begin to puff up almost immediately. Using a spatula, you can gently break up the egg curds, but be careful not to overwork them. You want them to stay in larger pieces. Remove the eggs when they're done cooking, and place them to the side. The egg curds should be added to your fried rice at the end once everything else is cooked. 

Once you've mastered the art of making fluffy eggs, you can start to have some real fun elevating your fried rice with more flavors and ingredients. For instance, the addition of fish sauce is a great way to bring a rich umami flavor to any fried rice. It can be added either to the rice while cooking or whisked together with your eggs to flavor your curds directly. However, because fish sauce has a fairly strong flavor, make sure to go easy on the amount until you've discovered how much suits your palate. You can always add more if you want! 

Another great addition is mirin, a Japanese cooking wine that will make your fried rice unforgettable with a sweet taste that can help balance the saltiness of soy sauce or the umami of fish sauce. This helps round out any fried rice and provides an extra layer of depth without being too overpowering and sugary. If you want to experiment with flavors for your fried rice that are out of the box, consider adding pineapple, miso paste, gochujang, or even bacon. You can pack so many flavors into fried rice that pair perfectly with soft, fluffy eggs. The only limits, really, are your imagination!