Andrea Nguyen’s Pho Fried Rice

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Most people know pho as a brothy noodle soup, but it can be more than that. Once you become hooked on making and eating the soup, you may wonder what else you can do to create a pho imprint and pho experience. Vietnamese chicken pho shops often use the broth for cooking a special rice dish. That idea led me to ponder the possibility of a pho fried rice. Sure, the name is fun to say, but could I make the rice pho-ish?

Ingredients

3 cups day-old cooked rice (about 15 ounces)
2 tablespoons pho fat, European-style butter, or canola or other neutral oil, divided
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 medium red or yellow onion, cut along the grain into narrow wedges
1 large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons fish sauce or regular soy sauce, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon Maggi Seasoning sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1/2 teaspoon Pho Spice Blend (below), or 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium scallion, white and green parts, chopped
Fine sea salt
2 or 3 sprigs fresh Thai basil or mint

Instructions

Before frying the rice, stir it up to prevent lumps. Set near the stove with the fat, garlic, onion, egg, fish sauce or soy sauce, Maggi or Bragg, pepper, scallion, and salt.
Heat a large, well-seasoned wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the fat, then add the garlic and onion. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add the rice and briskly stir-fry until warm and slightly revived, about 2 minutes.
Push the rice to the perimeter to create a well in the middle. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon fat to the well. Pour in the egg. Pour the fish sauce and Maggi around the rim on the rice. Quickly stir-fry to cook the egg and work it into the rice. Add the spice blend and scallion. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds longer, until just wilted. Turn off the heat, taste, and add salt if needed. Transfer to a plate or shallow bowl. Serve with the Thai basil or mint. Invite guests to pluck, tear, and mix the herb leaves into the rice.