Special Fried Rice 

We learned that the key to great fried rice is to make the rice ahead of time, like the day before,  and cool it down in the refrigerator.  This helps the rice absorb all moisture, makes it separate when cooking resulting in good texture for fried rice.  More great stuff in this recipe makes it "special".

Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

1 cup cooked beef, diced
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
1 cup cooked pork, diced
1 cup cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:
Cook rice and cool down prior to making this recipe.

Heat a wok, wok shaped skillet or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add oil to the pan. Add egg to hot oil and break into small bits as it scrambles. When eggs are scrambled, add garlic and ginger to the pan. Remove and set aside.

Heat a wok, add oil, add rice to the pan and combine with veggies, beef, pork, chicken and shrimp. Fry rice with veggies 2 or 3 minutes. Add peas, eggs, white pepper and soy sauce to the rice and stir fry 1 minute more, then serve.

Fried Rice 

Fried Rice from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fried rice is a popular component of Chinese cuisine. It originated as a home dish from China around 4000 BC, made from cold leftover rice fried with other leftover ingredients. It is sometimes served as the penultimate dish in Chinese banquets (just before dessert).

There are dozens of varieties of fried rice, each with their own specific list of ingredients. In Asia, the more famous varieties include Yangchow (Yangzhou) and Fukien (Fujian) fried rice. In the West, Chinese restaurants catering to non-Chinese clientele have invented their own varieties of fried rice including egg fried rice, Singaporean (spicy) fried rice (which is actually not generally available in Singapore) and the ubiquitous 'special fried rice'.

Ingredients used in fried rice are greatly varied. They include vegetables such as carrots, bean sprouts, celery, peas, and others, as well as chicken, pork, shrimp, Spam, or tofu. Often cooked in a wok, it includes vegetable oil or animal fat to prevent sticking, as well as for flavor. Bits of egg provide color in many dishes. Chile pepper or hot sauces often add a piquant touch to this dish or are offered in a small dish separate to the rice. Many cooks season the fried rice with black pepper. Soy sauce gives fried rice its brown color and savory taste. Often, onions and garlic add complexity and extra flavor. It is popularly eaten either as an accompaniment to another dish or, alternatively on its own as a course by
itself.

Popular garnishes include fried shallots, sprigs of parsley, carrots carved into intricate shapes or sliced chilli sprinkled on top of the heaped rice. Many food stands found on the streets across Southeast Asia will serve fried rice on the spot expecting the customer to choose which garnishes to add.

Fried rice is a common staple in American Chinese cuisine, especially in the westernized form sold at fast-food stands. The most common form is a basic fried rice, often with some mixture of eggs, scallions, and vegetables, with chopped meat (usually pork or chicken, sometimes beef or shrimp) added at the customer's discretion. Fried rice is also seen in other American Asian restaurants, even in cuisines where there is no native tradition of the dish such as the Caribbean.