Copycat Benihana Fried Rice
Butter, garlic, cold rice and soy sauce, cooked hard in one skillet. This is the buttery, faintly toasted fried rice from the hibachi table, and it comes together in 25 minutes with no grill and no wok.
Ingredients
Garlic Butter
- 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 cloves garlic minced (divided)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Fried Rice
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22.5 ml) neutral oil such as vegetable or canola, divided
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 1/2 (0.5) small onion finely diced
- 3 scallions sliced, plus extra for garnish
- 3 cups (600 g) cold, day-old cooked rice preferably jasmine or white rice
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce plus more to taste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
Instructions
Make the Garlic Butter
- Beat the butter and garlic: In a small bowl, beat the softened butter with half the minced garlic until it is creamy and evenly mixed.
- Season it: Stir in 2 teaspoons of soy sauce until the butter looks like a smooth, pale paste.
- Chill it: Cover the garlic butter and refrigerate it while you prep everything else. It firms up and is easier to add in pieces later.
Cook the Eggs and Vegetables
- Scramble the eggs: Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beaten eggs and stir until they are just set and still glossy, then slide them onto a plate. They finish cooking with the rice later, so do not take them further.
- Cook the vegetables: Raise the heat to high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the carrot and the onion. Stir until softened and starting to color at the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the scallions and the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Fry the Rice and Finish
- Fry the rice: Break up any clumps of cold rice with your fingers. Tip it into the skillet, press it flat, and let it sit for 30 seconds at a time between tosses for 2 to 3 minutes, so some grains toast against the pan.
- Butter it: Add half the garlic butter and toss until it melts and everything looks glossy. Taste, add more garlic butter if you want it richer, and season with salt and pepper.
- Finish and serve: Return the scrambled eggs with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the toasted sesame oil. Toss gently to combine and heat through, then serve at once with extra scallions on top.
Notes
Use rice cooked the day before and chilled overnight. Warm rice steams instead of frying and the grains clump.
The garlic butter can be made up to a week ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, or rolled in parchment and frozen for 3 months.
To add protein, cook diced chicken, shrimp or sliced steak first, set it aside with the eggs, and return both at the end.
For a gluten-free version, swap the soy sauce for tamari measure for measure.
Leftovers keep 4 days in a shallow airtight container. Reheat in a skillet with a teaspoon of oil and a splash of water rather than in the microwave.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1750IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2.1mg