Chinese Sausage Fried Rice

Sometimes, the best recipes come from those moments when you’re staring into the fridge, trying to use up random ingredients before they go bad.

This Chinese sausage fried rice is exactly that kind of magical kitchen rescue – turning leftover rice and a few key ingredients into something that’ll make your entire kitchen smell incredible.

Chinese sausage, or lap cheong, is one of those ingredients that can transform an ordinary dish into something special. It’s got this rich, sweet-savory flavor that caramelizes beautifully when you cook it, creating little pockets of deliciousness throughout the fried rice.

The secret to great fried rice isn’t fancy techniques – it’s using day-old rice and cooking everything quickly over high heat. This method ensures each grain gets crispy and takes on the flavors of the sausage and seasonings without turning mushy.

What You’ll Need

• 2 cups Leftover (overnight) rice
• 2 Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
• 2 eggs
• ½ brown onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 large spring onion/scallion
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Steps

1. Optional: remove the casing of the sausages by soaking it in warm to hot (not boiling) water for 2 minutes then peel at either ends. Discard casing.
2. Scramble eggs in a hot non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Once it has formed shape but not completely cooked through, remove and set aside. This takes about 10 seconds.
3. In the same pan, add remaining oil and saute onions and garlic on high heat.
4. Once onions and garlic has turned slightly golden, add chinese sausages and white parts of the sliced spring onions/scallions. Saute on medium heat for 1 – 2 minutes.
5. Push ingredients in the pan to the edges of pan/wok to make room for rice.
6. Pour leftover rice in the middle of pan/wok and turn the heat back up to high and stir fry for 1 minute. Push clumps of rice down with the flat side of spatula to break rice apart.
7. Add in soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 2 more minutes. Make sure each and every grain of rice has touched the hot pan/wok.
8. Add scrambled eggs back into the pan/wok along with green parts of sliced spring onions/scallions.
9. Break eggs apart into similar size as sausages. Stir fry and mix through for about 20 – 30 seconds.
10. Serve on its own or with your favourite Chinese meat or vegetable dish.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• No Chinese sausage? Try regular bacon or chorizo
• Vegetarian option: swap sausage for firm tofu
• Brown rice works just as well as white rice

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use brown rice for more fiber
• Reduce oil by using a non-stick spray
• Use low-sodium soy sauce

Tips & Storage

• Always use day-old rice for best texture
• Store in airtight container for 3-4 days
• Reheat in a skillet to maintain crispiness