Cook perfect fried rice

SIMPLICITY is the heart and soul of so many of our favourite foods, those much-loved recipes that focus on the art of flavour, not the demand for complex skills.

Yet even simplicity can be trained towards perfection. Consider it a nod towards technique.

Take plain old fried rice. It’s the takeaway classic that defines food courts and pub bistros across Australia and seems as humble as could possibly be.

Refining it, however, requires understanding how to achieve perfectly separated individual grains of rice that are caramelised and chewy on the outside, with delicate and fluffy centres.

After all, as the name suggests, it really is all about the rice.

The ingredients that go with it? Well, that’s kind of up to you.

While chefs will use many varieties of rice to craft their creation, small and medium grain (white or brown) will always work better.

Long grain rice tends to shatter when it hits the hot oil, whereas the smaller grains will hold their shape.

Rinsing the rice thoroughly before cooking it is even more essential.

By removing the excess starch from the outside of the rice, it ensures that the cooked rice does not clump together in the wok.

But the single most vital strategy is to cook the rice a day ahead and store it in the fridge with the lid slightly ajar.

For great fried rice, just like great roast potatoes, the rice itself must be really dry.

In fact, any time you want a starch to transform into crispiness, ensuring that as much moisture has been removed as possible is your number one tip.