Savory Duck Fried Rice Recipe

Duck adds a delicious savory richness to fried rice. Every bite is an explosion of flavor, with fresh ingredients like ginger, scallions and vibrant veggies. It’s quick and easy to prepare, versatile and can be served either as a main course or side dish.

Duck is not something that most people have in their refrigerator every day. However, if you order duck in a restaurant and have leftovers, you can make duck fried rice. Of course, you can cook a duck breast and use that as well.

This same recipe will work just as well with chicken or pork. You can mix and match the vegetables as you desire. When you start your dish, just add the vegetables that take the longest time to cook first. Then, add those that only need a minute or two.

Use my recipe as a guide and substitute another protein, vegetables, sauces and seasoning of your choice. The key to great fried rice is using cold, day-old rice. A very hot pan ensures the grains don’t clump together,
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Let’s talk a little about prep and cooking time for fried rice. This dish is easy and comes together quickly. This makes it necessary to have all the ingredients prepped and next to the stove before you start cooking.

To prep for fried rice, you need to use cold, day-old cooked long grain rice. (See notes from the kitchen for an alternative). Chop the onion, carrots, celery, scallions, separating the white and green parts, and the garlic for your preparation. Finally, gather your sauces and other seasonings, like soy sauce and sesame oil.

Some people can mince and dice quickly. Others do it at a slower pace. Overall, it should take approximately 10 – 15 minutes to prep ingredients for a fried rice recipe.

Once you are prepped, cooking time requires another 15 – 20 minutes. Some versions can take slightly longer. This depends on the complexity of the dish and number of ingredients. It also depends if you are cooking the rice from scratch before starting the recipe.

You will notice that I don’t add scrambled egg in my versions of fried rice. While it is a very common ingredient, particularly true in Chinese-American versions, adding it is a matter of personal preference.

You can use a little more or a little less of any ingredient to suit your taste. It’s not essential to have the exact amount, fried rice is very forgiving. And one last thing, if you don’t have a wok, don’t worry. I use a regular skillet and that works just fine.

Duck Fried Rice

• 2 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 2 scallions, sliced and separated into green and white
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 2 c. leftover long grain white rice*
• 1 small 8 oz. can water chestnuts
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3/4 – 1 c. cooked duck, diced into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• soy sauce, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1. Heat oil in a large skillet until shimmering.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and the white part of the scallions. Cook, stirring until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook about a minute.
3. Add the rice, salt and pepper. Stir-fry until thoroughly mixed. Add the duck, water chestnuts, peas and half of the scallion greens, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce and cilantro, stirring until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Once the rice is ready, serve garnished with the remaining scallion greens.

NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN

For the best texture, start with cooked rice that is stored in the refrigerator overnight. This firms up the grains and removes moisture, preventing a soggy final dish.

If you don’t have cold, day old rice you can cook the rice first before starting with the recipe. Spread the rice out on a sheet pan or large platter. Refrigerate it uncovered to dry out. When it is cool to the touch, use it with the recipe. By the time you add it to the dish, it should have dried out enough. This will make it easy to separate the grains when you stir-fry.

Rice that has been cooked, cooled, and refrigerated should be broken up before it goes into the stir-fry.

A teaspoon of soy sauce along with a teaspoon of sesame oil: is usually enough for fragrant fried rice. For additional flavor, you can add a teaspoon of oyster sauce, hoisin sauce or rice wine vinegar. Always taste and adjust seasonings to your own preferences.

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There are no hard and fast rules for making fried rice. Use your imagination and reinvent small amounts of meat, seafood, vegetables, and rice into a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Your family will enjoy it.