All fried rice recipes seem to have the same toned down interpretation I have been trying to recreate the fried rice from a restaurant that I loved before moving. They were a Japanese steak house (called the Iron Chef), the type that cooks in front of you, and they made this incredibly saucy fried rice. It had this sort of savory perhaps umami taste to it that was so incredible. However I can’t recreate it. Other than their secret sauces and pastes the only difference from your average recipe is that they had larger chunks of zucchini in it.

I did try one of the internets self proclaimed best fried rice** recipes* but it was pretty flat and boring and toned down, even from your average restaurants version.

All the recipes I find for fried rice seem to be quite similar to each other and are meant to result in a much more toned down less savory and saucy result. Very few of them involve mixing in a sauce that is any more than just soy and sesame. Boring! Not only did the restaurant have some sort of paste but they also had a sauce.

How do I look for recipes that might be different and might be able to create a memorable fried rice like the one from that restaurant.

*it is worth noting that I did not follow the part of the recipe that asked for Shaoxing wine as I am underage and can’t buy that. That can’t be it right? 

**Some people are reporting having trouble using the link so here is the ingredients list.


3 tbsp neutral oil
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots
1 tablespoon garlic
1 cup peas
1 tbsp ginger
3/4 cups rice
2 eggs
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or water
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup minced cilantro
Salt pepper to taste
Shaoxing wine OR water, what nonsense is this? You will get completely different results with water and the wine.

As for your question: Add some Douchi (or black bean sauce), or Doubanjiang (if you want it spicy) for a focus on umami. I'd omit the cilantro altogether as well. A dash of rice vinegar might go a long way. Be careful though, since you've already added some acidity with the wine.