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You are here: Home / Recipes / Recipes by Course / Side Dishes / Easy Chinese Rice

Easy Chinese Rice

Published on July 6, 2021 by Helen Best-Shaw 7 Comments
Last Updated on July 9, 2021

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This easy recipe for Chinese rice makes a tasty spice-infused side dish in 30 minutes, with less than 3 minutes hands on time. Perfect for serving with a takeaway or home cooked fakeaway.

A top down picture of easy Chinese rice, garnished with coriander and slice of red and green chillies, in a shallow casserole dish. Surrounding the dish are more chillies and fresh coriander, Spring onions, a small wooden spoon and a checked cloth.

Everything You Need To Know

  • Easy Chinese style rice
  • Why you will love this Chinese style rice
  • Chinese rice ingredients
  • How to make easy Chinese style rice
  • Gluten in tamari & soy sauce
  • Can I make Chinese rice ahead?
  • Can I freeze Chinese style rice?
  • More Rice One Pots and Rice Dishes
  • Easy Chinese Rice

Easy Chinese style rice

I love rice – really, really love rice! This easy Chinese-style rice dish is a regular on our table. It’s tasty, quick, easy, largely hands off and effortlessly fuss free to make.

A bowl of comforting basmati seasoned with a little soy sauce or tamari is one of my favourite comfort foods. It’s the perfect convalescent food and is my first choice after a tummy upset – gentle but delicious.

This Chinese rice is flavoured with vegetable stock, a touch of five spice powder, soy sauce and a little sesame oil.

Whenever we order takeaway, I make rice to serve with it. I enjoy the leftovers with a fried egg for breakfast or lunch the following day.

Easy Chinese rice in a white and blue casserole dish, ready to serve.

Why you will love this Chinese style rice

  • Quick and easy
  • It is delicious, but delicate enough to go with all Asian dishes
  • Ready in 30 minutes with only 3 minutes hands on time
  • Only 5 ingredients
  • Cooked with the absorption method you get perfect rice every time!
  • Freezes well so make a double or triple portion!

Fuss Free Tip 
When you know my simple tips, rice is easy to cook and will come out perfectly every time. There is no need to buy easy cook or minute rice ever again.

Chinese rice ingredients

The ingredients for easy Chinese rice: rice, five spice, soy sauce, vegetable stock and sesame oil. An annotated top down picture of all these ingredients.
  • Basmati rice – Basmati is the best but other white long grain rice will do. You can use brown rice, but if you do, you will need to extend the cooking time to forty minutes. I don’t recommend easy cook or minute rice. It may affect the cooking times and quantities, and I dislike the chewy texture of the grains. 

Pro Tip – Buying rice

We eat a lot of rice. Even though I cook for two most of the time, I still buy large 2 kg / 4.5 lb bags of rice. Buy the supermarket regular rice or a mid-priced branded rice. There is no need to buy the most expensive brand unless it is on offer.

The cheapest rice might look like a bargain, but is often best avoided as it may contain the broken grains that have been sifted out from the more expensive bags versions. This means your rice can become sticky and starchy when cooked.

  • Five Spice Powder – This blend of spices adds depth and flavour. You don’t really notice it, but would certainly miss it if it wasn’t there. Different brands taste very different, so find one you like. Do read the label when buying five spice, as many blends are packed with sugar.
  • Sesame Oil – I like a nice rich toasted sesame oil but if you don’t like sesame, choose another oil.
  • Soy Sauce – I like a nice dark soy sauce or tamari but use what is in the cupboard. Light, dark, tamari or sweet soy sauce, it’s all fine. Use gluten free if needed.
  • Broth or Stock – Use your favourite stock. I recommend vegetable or chicken, depending on what you plan to serve with the rice.

How to make easy Chinese style rice

Easy Chinese rice -

Step One – Put the sesame oil in a pan. I like to use a shallow casserole dish with a close fitting lid. Stir in the five spice powder and heat gently for one minute.

Easy Chinese rice: cooking the rice briefly in the oil, stirring well the whole time. A collage of two top-down pictures.

Step Two – Add the rice. Stir and cook for a minute, so that the grains are coated with the oil. 

Adding stock and soy sauce to rice. A collage of two pictures, top down. The soy sauce is stirred into the dish.

Step Three – Pour the stock over the rice. Add the soy sauce. Then put the lid on the pan securely. Cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes, leaving the lid on.

A top down picture of easy Chinese rice cooked and ready to serve, in a blue and white shallow casserole dish.

Step Four – Fluff with a fork before serving.

Serve this Chinese style rice with your favourite takeaway (or fakeaway), or enjoy a bowl on its own, garnished with sliced chillies, spring onions (scallions) and coriander (cilantro). It is also the perfect base for making special fried rice. 

Gluten in tamari & soy sauce

Tamari is Japanese soy sauce which is darker, richer and less salty than soy sauce. If you need to find a gluten free sauce, start by looking for tamari rather than soy sauce.

I find tamari more intense, complex and well rounded, and I prefer it. A good tamari is usually more expensive than soy sauce, but I think it is worth the extra.

  • Soy sauce – made with both wheat and soy (contains gluten)
  • Tamari – usually made with soy and possibly a little wheat (it’s usually gluten free but ALWAYS CHECK THE LABEL)
A top down close up of easy Chinese rice

Can I make Chinese rice ahead?

You can make your Chinese rice in advance, and it will reheat in the microwave, but it is so easy there is no need to make this ahead. Having said that, I always like to make extra for the next day or for the freezer.

If you choose to make your rice ahead of time, pack it into airtight boxes as soon as it is cool. Then keep it in the fridge for no more than 48 hours. (I never keep cooked rice in the fridge for more than a day.) Reheat your rice thoroughly before serving.

Can I freeze Chinese style rice?

I’m a big believer in cook once and eat twice, so this recipe has been written to make a triple portion to fill three standard plastic takeaway trays. Pack leftovers into the trays, allow to cool and then freeze. Grab a tub from the freezer and defrost in the fridge, or microwave from frozen.

More Rice One Pots and Rice Dishes

  • Spanish chicken
  • Greek chicken
  • Moroccan chicken
  • Nandos rice
  • Spicy rice
  • Mushroom rice
  • Pilau rice (Pressure Cooker Pilau rice)
  • Leftover chicken biryani 
  • Leftover turkey biryani
  • Leftover lamb biryani
  • Other easy rice recipes 
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A close up of easy Chinese rice, ready to serve. The dish has been garnished with slices of red and green chilli and coriander leaves. A wooden spoon sits on top of the rice.
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5 from 7 votes

Easy Chinese Rice

Easy Chinese style rice is a delicious accompaniment for Asian dishes, ready in half an hour with next to no hands on time.
Servings: 6 people
Author: Helen Best-Shaw
Prep Time2 mins
Cook Time28 mins
Total Time30 mins
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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp five spice mix
  • 1 cup white basmati rice (200 g)
  • 2 cup vegetable broth or stock (480 ml)
  • 2 tsp soy sauce (or tamari)

To serve

  • fresh coriander / cilantro
  • spring onions / scallions (chopped)
  • chillies (chopped)
Metric – USA Cups

Instructions

  • Put the sesame oil in a pan – I like to use a shallow casserole dish with a close fitting lid. Add the five spice and gently heat for a minute.
  • Add the rice. Stir and cook for a minute, so that the grains are coated with the oil. 
  • Pour the stock over the rice. Add the soy sauce. Then put the lid on the pan securely. Cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes.  
  • After 18 minutes, take the pan off the stove top and leave for another 5 minutes to rest. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
  • Serve as a stand alone dish with your choice of garnishes, or as a side for your favourite take or fakeaway.

Notes

  • Use regular white or white basmati rice for this. Avoid quick/easy cook or minute type rice.  
  • Use a pan with a lid that fits!
  • Leftovers freeze well.
Nutritional Information
  • This recipe is 5 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chinese Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187
% Daily Value*
Sodium 256mg11%
Potassium 57mg2%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Side
Cuisine: Chinese, Fakeaway
Keyword: Chinese Rice
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Filed Under: Asian, Easy Rice Recipes, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Side Dishes Ingredients: Rice, Soy Sauce, Spices, Stock

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sarah Reading

    5 stars
    I’m a big fan of rice too. We eat it a lot as a side dish. This is perfectly flavored and just right to have with all kinds of dishes. Was really good with lemon chicken.

    Reply
  2. Wendy M

    5 stars
    I do like your rice dishes, Helen. The never fail method. This is another delicious version and just as easy to make. Love it.

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    5 stars
    Very nice recipe. So easy, flavorful and delicious.

    Reply
  4. Gail Matthews

    5 stars
    This makes a really tasty rice. I actually prefer it to the kind I get from my takeaway. Better to make it at home.

    Reply
  5. Natasha

    5 stars
    Really tasty rice that is cooked just right. A delicious accompaniment for a meal and makes a good quantity too.

    Reply
  6. Kerry

    5 stars
    Love this rice so much I make it at least once a week.

    Reply
  7. tammy

    5 stars
    Your method makes the perfect rice, I never have any waste. Fluffy and tasty rice every time.

    Reply

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Headshot of Helen Best-Shaw, Food Blogger at Fuss Free Flavours I'm Helen, full time freelance food writer, photographer and blogger. On this site you will find my fuss-free recipes, travel and reviews. Learn more here
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