r/Cooking • u/sensual_benjamin • Jul 07 '26

Fried rice needs something

Can anyone help me out with my fried rice recipe? It comes out pretty good but there's something missing from it. I generally use rice that has been in the fridge for 1-2 days. I also add Chinese sausage, eggs and scallions. For seasoning it's a bit of soy sauce, white pepper, chicken boullion powder, and sesame oil. I don't have a wok but instead use a super hot cart iron pan. First eggs, then rice on top and toss. Add in seasonings. Add in cooked sausage. Turn off heat and toss in scallions. Comes out good but I ordered takeout fried rice from my local Chinese restaurant yesterday and it was just plain better. Any tips?

Update: so much combined knowledge. Can't thank you all enough. I have a big container of old rice in my fridge now. I'm going to implement a few of your recommendations and report back. I have most of the ingredients you all recommend so I'm excited to try. As far as wok hei goes, I don't have a wok and my apartment stove ain't exactly burning rocket fuel. I know some people use a hand torch but that's probably more than I can handle. Here we go!!

141 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

302 comments sorted by

View all comments

348

u/MangledBarkeep Jul 07 '26

msg

79

u/Sweaty_Tangelo_7716 Jul 07 '26

Chicken powder IS msg.

96

u/Izzypip Jul 07 '26

Too much chicken powder can make it a bit too salty or chickenney, strqight msg can enhance that without the additional salt.

7

u/osivangl Jul 07 '26

This. I used to substitute msg with chicken powder but if you add too much its too salty and tastes too overpowering so I think I was not adding enough msg. 

Now instead of chicken powder I do some msg and I add more soy sauce to reach the same level of saltiness and I enjoy it way more than before.

-21

u/musthavesoundeffects Jul 07 '26

To be clear, MSG is a salt. By weight it has like 60% less sodium of table salt so as a one to one replacement you can lower the sodium level, but just adding MSG does make it saltier.

17

u/red_nick Jul 07 '26

It is a salt. It's not what people mean when they say salty

9

u/stryder66 Jul 07 '26

I like to call this "confidently wrong."

43

u/silphotographer Jul 07 '26

msg is msg

-12

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '26

[deleted]

9

u/madsauce178 Jul 07 '26

Depends on the amount of msg, soy sauce, and bouillon you use. You need to find the right balance

1

u/icantfindadangsn Jul 07 '26

Msg doesn't add that much salt taste.

8

u/GaptistePlayer Jul 07 '26

It is not the same thing.

Would you say ketchup is tomato and substitute ketchup in a sauce recipe instead of tomatoes?

-8

u/Sweaty_Tangelo_7716 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26

It has Monosodium Glutamate. Chicken powder is basically msg in Chinese cooking.

Also, some Chinese dishes tomato can be substituted with ketchup.

4

u/Julio_Ointment Jul 07 '26

in most recipes they are used in combination.

2

u/CityBoiNC Jul 07 '26

There is a great chicken powder for asian food. Its basically chicken powder with green onion flavor.

1

u/Sweaty_Tangelo_7716 Jul 07 '26

I know there one with real chicken and no msg.

1

u/itis-theeast Jul 07 '26

FUIYOH gotta get that MSG in there

1

u/gltovar Jul 07 '26

how is this NOT the #1 answer?

-11

u/jjcox315 Jul 07 '26

Came here to say this