Arroz Chino is one of the most popular takeout foods in Puerto Rico. It is easy to make with simple ingredients you can find at any supermarket!
Arroz Chino is simply fried rice in Spanish. Every country has its own Chinese fried rice. In Puerto Rico, we love a good Arroz Chino.
I have been making fried rice for years, and after many attempts, I now feel that this is the real deal. It tastes just like the chinos. Make It! Trust me, it’s delicious!
My favorite fried rice combination is with a Puerto Rican pepper steak or with Chinese chicken wings and a few Puerto Rican tostones or a delicious fried shrimp.
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Why This Recipe Works
- It’s a very affordable recipe to make at home versus buying it.
- If you already have the white rice done, this fried rice will take you only 15 minutes to make!
- There’s no need to go to a special store to get the ingredients. If you have a sazón seasoning made at home you probably have leftover msg.
- If you have ever tasted Arroz chino in Puerto Rico, this will take you straight to the island. If not, this will make your taste buds dance with flavor!
Recipe Ingredients
- Oil- I used vegetable oil, but you can use any neutral-flavored oil.
- Eggs- I used 2 eggs because I feel like one is too little. You can add more or less depending on how you like it.
- Ham- I used ½ cup of small cubed ham. This is just like the eggs; if you add too little, you won’t even notice them. You can substitute it for spam, and it is absolutely delicious.
- White rice- I used jasmine rice, but you can also use any long-grain rice. I have also used medium-grain rice, but long is preferred. I have used Puerto Rican style medium grain rice leftover, and the recipe turns out delicious.
- Soy sauce- The two most important ingredients in this recipe, besides the rice, are the soy sauce and the msg. The soy gives the rice its color and a Chinese flavor. You can use any brand you like, but I usually use Kikkoman.
- Msg- The msg gives it that unique umami taste. Popular brands are Ajinomoto, Badia, and Accent. They all taste the same, so buy any brand you find.
- Shrimp- The shrimp are optional, but are super delicious in fried rice.
- Garlic paste- The garlic paste completes the flavor of the rice.
- Green onion & lettuce- These ingredients are the ones that give the rice a nice crunch.
How to Make Arroz Chino
- Photo 1: Make your rice and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Then you have to make the scrambled eggs by adding ½ tablespoon of oil to your wok and adding the eggs until they’re no longer runny. They can be a little running because they’ll cook some more later on.
- Photo 2: Add ½ tablespoon of oil and then ham and cook for 2 minutes or until you see some caramelization on the outside. Be careful while cooking because the ham tends to jump while cooking.
- Photo 3: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok and add the rice. You want to fry the rice for 2 minutes, all while stirring. Keep moving the rice to prevent it from burning.
- Photo 4: Add the eggs and ham and mix.
- Photo 5: Make a space in the middle of the rice and add the shrimp and garlic. Cook for one minute.
- Photo 6: Add the msg and mix it in. Make a little dome with the rice.
- Photo 7: Add the soy sauce in a circular motion, starting on the top of your rice dome. This is done to try to spread the soy sauce evenly.
- Photo 8: Finish cooking the rice. Once finished, add the lettuce and green onions to avoid wilting.
Recipe Tips
- Veggies- there are many delicious veggies you can add to this. I like to add sweet peas, carrots, or bean sprouts.
- Vegetarian or vegan- You can make this recipe vegetarian or vegan by eliminating the eggs, the shrimp, and the ham.
- Rice- I always make my rice 30 minutes before making arroz chino. What I do to get the rice ready is to dry it in front of a fan and then place it in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
Recipe Questions
You can use any type of rice you prefer. But the preferred kind of rice used is some type of long-grain rice like basmati and jasmine.
No, you don’t need a day-old rice! What you need is rice that is dry and preferably cold. Also, you have to make sure to use a nonstick pan because if not, your rice will stick to the bottom of the pan.
If you want to have a real, authentic taste, yes! While you can use just regular salt to season, the msg has a unique umami flavor that salt alone won’t give you.
No, not at all. The advantage of using a wok is that it heats up quickly. You only need a nonstick pan on high heat.
Recipe To Make With Your Rice
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Arroz Chino
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cubbed ham
- 3 cup cooked white rice
- 8 small cooked shrimp
- ½ teaspoon garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon msg
- 1 green onion
- ¼ cup lettuce
Instructions
- Prepare your white rice as you normally would and let it cool in your fridge for at least 10 minutes.
- Add ½ tablespoon of oil to a Chinese wok over high heat. Beat the eggs and add them to the pan. Scramble the eggs until cooked and remove to a plate for later.
- Add another ½ tablespoon of oil and add the ham to cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Reserve the ham for later.
- Add the rest of the oil and rice. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring constantly to prevent the rice from burning. Add the egg and ham again and mix.
- Make a space in the middle of the pan to add the shrimp and garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the msg and soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring the rice.
- Turn off the heat, add the lettuce and green onions and mix. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- The cooking time includes the 20 minutes it will take you to make white rice.
- It is important to keep the heat high when cooking because this gives the rice a smoky restaurant flavor. But the most important thing is that you must stir constantly at each step to prevent the rice from burning.
- When you cook ham, it tends to jump out of the pan. Make sure to stir the entire time to prevent them from jumping.
- Before adding the soy sauce to the rice, be sure to break up any rice clumps. This is because it will help the rice get a more uniform color when you add the soy.
- It is not necessary to use a wok, you can use a frying pan that is nonstick.
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