Hong Kong Style Beef Fried Rice 1| The Missing Lokness

I have been craving for Hong Kong food for a while. Maybe it is the gloomy weather… It has been cloudy and dark all the time. In the past few days, tropical storm Blanca even brought in the humid. OH MY! That rainy, warm and humid weather really reminded me of Hong Kong. That weather is something I don’t miss at all. But because of that, I wanted to make something that has the flavors of home.

This beef fried rice is exactly the right one. I got this recipe from my blogger friend, Kayiu’s blog (Saucy Spatula). Kayiu is a talented food blogger. She also grew up in Hong Kong and currently lives in New York. She has many authentic recipes for Hong Kong cuisine, like curry beef brisket and iced red bean with coconut milk. At the same time, she creates many fusion dishes that combine the east and the west. I am always surprised when reading her blog. If you have a chance, check that out!

Hong Kong style beef fried rice (生炒牛肉飯) is one of those dishes that is served at Hong Kong cafes (茶餐廳). It is a delicious one plate dish that has a little bit of everything. Egg, beef, and veggie. The one stand out ingredient is the lettuce. Lettuce in fried rice? Yes! It sounds totally out-of-place, but the lettuce add some good crunch and freshness. When Bryan saw this fried rice for the first time, he stared me in the face and gave me a look. But after he had a bite, he said it was delicious! Hope you will enjoy it too!

More Hong Kong cafe recipes:

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice (焗豬扒飯)

Creamed corn with pork and rice (粟米肉粒飯)

Swiss Sauce Chicken Wings (瑞士雞翼)

Hong Kong Style Beef Fried Rice 2| The Missing Lokness

Hong Kong Style Beef Fried Rice

3 servings

Ingredients:

–   1½ cup uncooked rice

–   2½ tablespoons vegetable oil

–   ½ pound lean ground beef

–   2 large eggs (beaten)

–   ½ teaspoon salt

–   ½ teaspoon sugar

–   1 tablespoon soy sauce

–   ¼ head of iceberg lettuce (sliced into ¼-inch strips)

–   2 green onions (finely chopped)

Marinade for beef:

–   1½ teaspoon soy sauce

–   1 teaspoon garlic (minced)

–   1 teaspoon light brown sugar

–   1 teaspoon vegetable oil

–   1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or sake

–   ¼ teaspoon salt

–   dash of ground white pepper

Directions:

  1. The day before, cook the rice in a rice cooker. Once the rice is cooked, let it cool to room temperature. Keep in the fridge overnight in an airtight container.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients for the beef. Add beef and roughly combine. Marinate for 10 – 15 minutes at room temperature.
  3. In a large skillet or wok over high heat, add ½ tablespoon oil. Add the ground beef. Break them up into small pieces with a spatula. Cook until almost cooked through, about 90% done. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
  4. In the same skillet, wipe clean with a paper towel or clean under water if necessary. Turn the heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the eggs and scramble quickly with a spatula. Add the rice when the eggs are still runny. Break apart the rice and cut the eggs into little pieces. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon sugar. Toss and cook for at least 3 minutes or until everything is combined. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix well. Add beef and combine again. Lastly, add the lettuce and green onion. Toss well and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to serving plates. Serve immediately.

Tips:

  1. When combining the beef and marinade together, make sure not to over mix. The meat can turn sticky and stuck together, which will make it hard to separate during cooking.

(Adapted from Saucy Spatula)