Egg-fried rice is a brilliantly simple accompaniment to all kinds of Chinese dishes. The secret of all good home-cooked Chinese food is a well-seasonedextremely hot wok. The rice won’t stick at all if you get this right. You’ll know you’ve got it hot enough because all the hairs on your hands will be incinerated. Leave the egg out for a vegan version.

Ingredients

250g rice

3 beaten eggs

6 spring onions (scallions)

1 tbsp ground nut oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Salt & pepper

Method

Boil or steam the rice until edible but still firm, drain very well, and cool rapidly – it’s important that the rice is cold when it enters the smoking hot pan.

Heat a little oil in a wok and fry the eggs to make an omelette. Chop the omelette up into small pieces. Slice the spring onions.

Heat the ground nut oil in a wok until smoking. Add the rice, egg and sesame oil. Stir fry for one minute over as high a heat as you can manage. Add the onion and stir fry for a further minute. Season to taste. Optionally, add some light soy sauce.

Serves 2-4.