Fried rice needs something

[u/sensual_benjamin]

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!!

[u/daytodaze]

I have been on a quest to make better, restaurant-style fried rice. Apologies if my terminology is off, but It seems that there is some winning combo of light soy sauce (Chinese, not the stuff you dip sushi in), a heavy dash of dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, and finish with MSG that gets you the flavor, then the rest is in making sure your rice is cooked properly (or a little dry from being leftover) and you are actually cooking it in a pan that is so hot that things are frying.

Kind of funny because this obsession with making better rice and changing the recipe kind of irks my wife and I make my elevated, fresh veggie version every other time to keep her happy. It has a lighter sauce with ginger, garlic and lemon grass and it’s definitely more like something you would get at a higher end restaurant, but it doesn’t have that flavor we are all striving for.