Jamie's Quick & Easy Egg Fried Rice | Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver — “Jamie’s Quick & Easy Egg Fried Rice”

Ingredients

• 6 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Packet precooked rice (Jamie uses this as a shortcut; no weight given)
  • Note: you can use freshly cooked white rice (Jamie mentions “white rice, 12 minutes”), but for stir-frying you must drain and chill it first.
• 2 tsp chilli jam (adds heat, sweetness and helps glaze the rice)
• A small splash of water (to plump the rice)
• 2 free-range eggs
• 150 g (about half a block) firm/silken tofu, broken into chunks and pieces
• Salt, to taste

Equipment & preparation

• Large frying pan or wok, preheated on high heat (Jamie stresses a big pan on a high heat)
• Spatula or turner for tossing
• Bowl and plate for molding the rice (rub a little oil around the bowl to make it release easily)
• If using regular cooked rice: cook white rice (approx. 12 minutes mentioned), drain thoroughly and chill before stir-frying

Step-by-step method

1. Preheat a large pan over high heat until very hot.
2. Finely slice the spring onions.
3. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and immediately add the sliced spring onions; get them sizzling.
4. Add the packet precooked rice to the pan and toss rapidly on high heat — keep it moving; aim for hot, fast frying so rice doesn’t stick.
5. Add the chilli jam and toss so every grain gets coated and shines.
6. Add a small splash of water to help plump the rice.
7. Push the rice up around the sides of the pan to clear a space in the center.
8. Crack the eggs into the middle. Jamie leaves them for a moment like fried eggs, then breaks them so whites and yolks become marbled.
9. As the eggs are cooking, add the broken tofu pieces into the pan. Let the eggs and tofu cook briefly.
10. Bring the rice back in to combine with the eggs and tofu; toss to mix everything together. Season with a little salt and toss again.
11. To serve: oil a bowl lightly, pack the fried rice in and press down to form a mound (“sandcastle”). Place a plate on top, apply a little pressure and invert to turn the rice out onto the plate.

Technique cues & timings

• Keep a very hot pan and high heat throughout; work fast and toss constantly.
• Use precooked/chilled rice for non-sticky grains — “you cannot stir-fry hot rice.”
• Chilli jam both flavors and glazes the rice; a splash of water helps plump the grains.
• Eggs: crack into the center, let set briefly like fried eggs, then break so yolk and white marble through the rice.
• Tofu: break into a mix of chunks and small bits for texture contrast.

“Fast, hot, furious.” — Keep the action rapid to prevent sticking and to get good texture.

Chef tips & common mistakes to avoid

• Shortcut: packet precooked rice saves time and prevents stickiness; if you cook your own rice you must drain and chill it before stir-frying.
• Ensure the pan is properly hot before adding ingredients to get a good sizzle.
• Toss constantly and cook quickly to avoid clumping.
• Use chilli jam for a balance of heat and sweetness and to give the rice a glossy glaze.
• Oil the serving bowl to make unmolding the rice easy.

Plating & serving suggestions

• Serve as a side or a main — Jamie suggests it’s hearty enough for dinner for two.
• For a dramatic presentation: pack rice into an oiled bowl, press down, invert onto a plate to create a “sandcastle” and break the top to reveal the fluffy rice and marbled egg.

Variations / substitutions

• Use regular cooked white rice instead of packet precooked rice — but cook, drain and chill thoroughly before stir-frying.
• Protein: Jamie uses firm silken tofu (≈150 g); other proteins can be substituted as desired.

Serves

• Enough for two people (as presented).

Presenter / source

• Jamie Oliver — “Jamie’s Quick & Easy Egg Fried Rice” (YouTube video).