Chahan is a simple Japanese fried rice dish combining short-grain rice, eggs, and char siu in a quick stir-fry. The key to perfect chahan is cooking the egg briefly before adding rice so it stays fluffy rather than scrambled throughout.
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Chop the green onions and carrots into small cube pieces. Dice the meat into small pieces. Cutting them into about the same size will allow them to cook evenly. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them until well combined.
Turn the stove on medium-high heat, and pour half of the vegetable oil into the pan. Once the pan and oil is hot, fry the green onions (white part only) and meat first. If you're adding optional ingredients like carrots and peas, add them too and fry them together. Once they are cooked and slightly charred, remove the cooked ingredients and place them aside for mixing into the chahan later.
Then, heat the frying pan again and pour the rest of the vegetable oil. Swirl the oil to make sure the oil is spread evenly over the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the beaten eggs and fry them for just 1 minute or until the eggs are mostly cooked.
Before the egg dries out, pour the rice. Fry the rice and egg together and mix them well. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
Then, add the cooked green onions and meat (any optional toppings) to the mix. Add soy sauce and mirin and mix it all up. Stir fry for another 1 minute.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry for a final few minutes to make sure all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Your chahan is ready once all the ingredients have a slight char on the surface.
Serve the chahan in a bowl while it is still hot and fresh from the pan. Garnish your chahan with green onions.
Store leftover chahan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of oil or water, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
Yes, day-old rice works well because it's drier and won't clump. Freshly cooked rice can be used if spread on a plate to cool first.
Chahan is the Japanese version of fried rice, typically simpler with fewer ingredients and emphasizing the egg-rice combination cooked at medium-high heat for a slight char.
Use short-grain Japanese rice cooked to the proper consistency, and fry it immediately after adding to hot oil. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to keep grains separate.
Yes, substitute with bacon, chicken sausage, ham, or omit meat entirely. Vegetables like carrots, peas, and sweetcorn work as primary fillings.
The recipe calls for both. Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami, while mirin adds sweetness. Use both for authentic chahan flavor.
