Red Vietnamese Fried Rice

Name: Red Vietnamese Fried Rice
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 7 min
Yield: 2 serving
Ingredients: 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 3 garlic cloves; 1/2 cup diced ham; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 1/2 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp fish sauce; 2 tsp soy sauce; 1/4 tsp white sugar; 2 eggs

User Reviews

5.0

45 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Servings
2
Calories
544 kcal
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
Vietnamese

Red Vietnamese Fried Rice

Kai Walton

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Recipe video above. This is the fried rice version of traditional Vietnamese red rice (plain tomato rice steamed in a pot). I added ham, peas and egg to turn it into a quick and easy meal. Frying up the tomato rice with garlic adds extra flavour which is on point!Serves 2 as a meal, or 4 to 5 as a side.

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Ingredients

Servings

30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves , finely minced
1/2 cup diced ham (I use pre-chopped, Note 1)
1 cup frozen peas
2 1/2 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice (Note 2)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp fish sauce (Note 3)
2 tsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, not dark soy, Note 4)
1/4 tsp white sugar
2 eggs , whisked

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Instructions

Melt most of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over high heat (save a dab for scrambling eggs).
Add garlic, cook for 10 seconds.
Add ham, stir for 30 seconds.
Add peas, stir for 30 seconds.
Rice and tomato paste - Add rice and tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes.
Sauces - Add fish sauce, soy and sugar, cook 1 minute to get a bit of nice caramelisation on the tomatoey rice.
Scramble eggs - Push rice to one side of the pan. In the cleared space, melt reserved butter then pour in the egg and scramble until just set.
Serve - Toss cooked egg through the rice. Serve!

Notes

Ham - I use store-bought pre-chopped ham for convenience. Alternatively any ham you have chopped yourself works great (thick-cut is best, if you can). Bacon could also be used.
Rice - Any rice can be used (white, brown, basmati) but jasmine is popular in Vietnamese food. Overnight refrigerated or frozen (and thawed) cooked rice is best for fried rice to achieve the right texture. Freshly cooked rice is too moist and your fried rice will clump and become too sticky. The taste is fine, but texture is not ideal! If it's a fried rice emergency (and it happens....), cook your rice of choice, spread on tray to rapidly cool. Then refrigerate for as long as you can until cooled.
{PS I always have bags of frozen cooked rice in the freezer. I get the shakes if I'm out.}
Fish sauce is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine and adds extra flavour. Don't worry, the fishiness is cooked out. Sub with more soy (but it ain't really Vietnamese if you skip it!! Just sayin'.... :) )
Soy sauce - Light or all-purpose soy sauce. Not dark soy, it's too strong!

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 544cal (27%) Carbohydrates 72g (24%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 211mg (70%) Sodium 1375mg (57%) Potassium 521mg (15%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1412IU (28%) Vitamin C 34mg (38%) Calcium 84mg (8%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 544 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	544cal	27%
Carbohydrates	72g	24%
Protein	22g	44%
Fat	18g	28%
Saturated Fat	9g	45%
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g	12%
Monounsaturated Fat	5g	25%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	211mg	70%
Sodium	1375mg	57%
Potassium	521mg	11%
Fiber	6g	24%
Sugar	8g	16%
Vitamin A	1412IU	28%
Vitamin C	34mg	38%
Calcium	84mg	8%
Iron	3mg	17%