Fried Rice with Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)

Char Siu (also known as char siew, chashao, chasu, barbecue pork) is a long strips of boneless pork that is seasoned with a mixture of honey, five-spice powder, fermented tofu (red), dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red food colouring that are skewered with long forks and placed in a covered oven or over a fire. These seasonings turn the exterior layer of the meat dark red, similar to the "smoke ring" of American barbecues.

Char Siu can be bought easily in Singapore from any Chicken Rice stall or wet market. Char Siu is a great choice for fried rice dishes and can easily whipped up in less than 15mins.

Recipe: Fried Rice with Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 4 bowls of overnight rice
• 2 large eggs, beaten, seasoned with 1 tsp of soy sauce and pepper
• 200g cooked char siu, diced
• 2 spring onions or scallion, chopped finely
• salt & pepper to sate

Method:
1. Heat oil in wok over medium heat for about 1min and stir fry garlic until the latter is translucent.

2. Add cooked rice, stir-fry for 5mins. Pour in the beaten eggs over the rice evenly, stir fry over high heat until the fried rice is dry.

3. Add char siu and stir fry for another minute.

4. Add spring onions and season with salt & pepper to taste, stir well.

5. Remove from wok and serve hot.

* if you like, you can heat up 2tbsp of oil over medium heat, stir the beaten eggs until cooked dry and separated into small pieces before you add into the rice, instead of pouring over the rice.

* you can also add dark soya sauce if you prefer to have a "coloured" rice, or throw in some veggie to go along.