Chinese sausage fried rice

This Chinese sausage fried rice is the ultimate fried rice of them all. It is a flavour packed comfort food that's quick and easy! A delicious treat that is perfect eaten on its own or accompanied by a few Asian dishes.

Love fried rice? Also try my Thai Fried Rice and Prawn and Egg Fried Rice!

Chinese sausages (aka lap cheong) are fragrant, cured thin sausages that add a tonne of flavour to any Asian dish! A bit more on this below.

Jump to:

• Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
• Ingredients
• Preparing Chinese sausages
• How to make Chinese sausage fried rice
• Tips for making the best Chinese sausage fried rice every time
• Good to know (FAQs)
• More delicious Chinese recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Chinese sausages (lap cheong)

Chinese sausages (in mandarin: 腊肠 or 臘腸), also widely known as 'lap cheong' (the Cantonese pronunciation), are extremely aromatic, flavourful thin dried cured fatty pork sausages.

There are actually a variety of different styles of Chinese cured sausages out there with slightly different names, depending on the ingredients and methodologies used. Different regions (parts of Asia) have their own distinct styles too!

Typically, Chinese sausages are made of pork, pork fat, soy sauce, sugar, alcohol, rose water/essence, salt, flavour enhancers and preservatives.

Extremely versatile, these dried, cured sausages can be added to a large variety of dishes including fried rice! Each small bite is extremely flavoursome and thus not much is needed to pimp up a dish. Once you've made this recipe, you'll understand. Heck, just simply opening the package you'll get a mouthwatering whiff of aroma!

Ingredients

• Chinese sausages can be found at Asian grocery stores. If you're based in Australia, you can also find these in the Asian isles at many Coles and Woolworths!
• Leftover rice is the best rice to use for the perfect fried rice. Unlike freshly cooked rice, leftover rice (ie, cooked the day before) are drier and firmer in texture. This allows for great stir-frying. You can use freshly steamed rice, of course, just be mindful of the water content when cooking the rice. Add a little less water than you would normally.
• Soy sauce normal, light or dark soy sauces are all fine to use. Dark soy sauces are stronger in flavour and slightly less salty than normal/light soy sauces. So depending on which you use, adjust the amount of salt you add when cooking the fried rice.
• Spring onion or scallion is a must! I find this fried rice taste pretty flat without it. It's aromatic and a great addition to 'oomph' up the dish or as I like to say, totally takes this dish to the next level. 🙂

Preparing Chinese sausages

You might be thinking.. whaaaat I need to prep these sausages before cooking them? Okay, chill. You don't 'have to', but I think it's a necessary option personally.

This is just the way I was taught growing up, my grandma used to do it so did my dad. Now I'm passing this fancy trick (not so family secret) to you.

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Basically, you want to peel off the casing of the sausages. It has no taste and adds a tough texture to the sausages especially when cooked in fried rice (no moisture to soften it).

This step really just makes the sausage bites more pleasant to eat and works well with the remaining (soft) ingredients of the fried rice.

• STEP 1. Soak the sausages with some warm/hot water for about 2 minutes. Not boiling hot as you don't want the flavours/oils to escape from the sausages! See image #1 above.
• STEP 2. You know the casing is ready to come off when it has turned opaque/white-ish. See image #2 above. Starting from either end, it peels off very easily. Like image #3 above.
• STEP 3. Thinly slice the Chinese sausages. About 2mm thick. Or a little chunkier if you wish. Like image #4 above.

How to make Chinese sausage fried rice

Making a plate of Chinese sausage fried rice is super quick and easy!

To make your life nice and easy, use a large non-stick pan or wok. This will avoid any sticky bottom disappointments! Nothing worse than rice being stuck at the bottom of the pan. Not only will this be a pain to clean, more importantly, the rice won't get the chance to get that wok hei or 'wok heat' in Cantonese!

Wok heat is crucial to stir-fries in general, it's the key to big flavours in Chinese cooking! Here are some fantastic stir fry recipes you've got to try - Vermicelli Stir Fry, Chicken in Black Bean Sauce and Squid Stir Fry!

Make the scrambled eggs first

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One of the fantastic things about a bowl of good fried rice is that the eggs are golden and soft. The trick to achieving this is by cooking the scrambled eggs first then setting it aside. Only to be added back into the pan with the rest of the ingredients just before serving.

• STEP 1. Whisk eggs in a small bowl then pour into a hot pan or wok with a good amount of oil (about 1 tbsp) to ensure it does not stick at any stage.
• STEP 2. Slowly push the eggs around the pan with a spatula and as soon as it has taken shape, and not fully cooked through, take it out and set aside. Like images #1 and #2 above. This literally takes about 10 seconds so keep both eyes on the eggs!

Then the rest

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• STEP 3. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or frying pan and saute diced onions and minced garlic until soft and slightly golden.
• STEP 4. Add the Chinese sausage slices and white parts of the sliced scallions. Saute for about 2 minutes on medium heat.
• STEP 5. By now, the pan is smelling delicious and the sausages have released it's heavenly oils and turning slightly golden. Push the ingredients to the edges of the pan to make way for leftover steamed rice. Like image #5 above. Turn the heat up to high.
• STEP 6. Stir fry for about 1 minute on high heat (keep at this heat for remaining steps). You will have to use the flat side of a spatula to push down clumps of rice. Now, add soy sauce, salt and ground white pepper.
• STEP 7. Stir fry for about 2 minutes. The most important trick to the ultimate fried rice is to ensure each and every grain of rice has touched the hot pan. So stir fry away and get that heat into your rice. It's amazing how heat adds so much flavour.
• STEP 8. Time to add the cooked scrambled eggs. Break eggs apart with your trusty spatula into similar chunks as the sausages. Then add the scallions (remaining green parts)Stir fry and mix through for about 30 seconds.

Here you have it! The best Chinese sausage fried rice! This is unlike your regular takeout fried rice, this is restaurant quality, sooo much better!

Tips for making the best Chinese sausage fried rice every time

• The ultimate not-so-secret secret to the best fried rice is to cook on high heat, constantly stir fry and make sure each and every grain has touched the hot pan/wok.
• This takes me to the second point. Make sure this also happens when you've added the soy sauce. Soy sauces transform when it touches heat. It caramelises and the result is deliciously rich and deep umami flavour. Soy sauce + rice = best friends.
• Keep the eggs golden and fluffy by scrambling it first, setting it aside then adding it back into the pan/wok just before serving.
• Finally, like any other dish you would ever make, make sure to taste before serving. Does it need more salt? Perhaps a little more heat from the pepper? Do you like things on the spicy side? Add some little chilli flakes for good measure. Tip: if you find it is a little too salty for your liking, add chilli - it helps balance the saltiness.

Good to know (FAQs)

When I started putting this post together, I had no idea it was going to be this long. But I wanted to make sure I cover all the important steps, tips and tricks so that you can make the perfect Chinese sausage fried rice every time!

More delicious Chinese recipes

• Soy sauce chicken - my BEST, easy homestyle soy sauce chicken, perfect with some steamed rice and veggies
• Chicken noodle stir fry - great weeknight healthy meal
• Beef and vegetable stir fry - another fantastic healthy stir fry
• Sticky soy chicken wings - crowd-pleaser, finger-licking good

Thank you for checking out my recipes! Let me know what you think and/or if you have any questions, drop me a note in the comments section below. 🙂

Happy cooking!

Gen

📖 Recipe