Damn, I love Lao Gan Ma. I know, I know. It’s got MSG and preservatives in it. But it tastes so good that I don’t care. I absolutely reserve my right to be healthy only when I feel like it. And for the lazy demographic (that’s me), Lao Gan Ma fried rice is the bomb.
If you are unacquainted with Lao Gan Ma, you best meet her right now. 老干妈 or Lao Gan Ma directly translates to “old godmother”, and this grand old auntie’s face is the symbol of a bloody tasty chilli oil that is pretty much a staple condiment in China. There are Chinese people who don’t travel without a bottle of LGM in tow.
Now, LGM makes a huge variety of products, and now also has an English website for the USA. I am not entirely sure which one of their vaguely English-named products corresponds to the Chinese version I use, but I am almost sure it’s the “Fried Chilli in Oil” variety. Check the photo below in cooking instructions for my jar. Make sure you read the ingredients as some of the LGM range contain animal products.
In this Lao Gan Ma fried rice, I used whatever I had in the fridge that needed clearing. A little bit of okra, a little bit of tofu, some cherry tomatoes, and some tatsoi. I pan-fried the okra quickly beforehand to get rid of the stickiness and pan-fried the tofu until more or less golden.
Remember to always use chilled overnight rice for fried rice! To prepare the perfect rice for your fried rice, check out our Fried Rice Club rules.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Dice your vegetables, separating leaves and stems. Chop up the garlic and the spring onion, separating the white and green parts. Fry your shallot until golden or use store-bought fried shallots.
- I pan-fried the okra quickly beforehand to get rid of the stickiness and pan-fried the tofu until more or less golden.
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Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and fry the garlic and spring onion whites.
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Turn the heat to high. Add the vegetable stems and tomatoes. Add 1 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine.
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When the tomatoes start to soften, add the vegetable leaves and okra.
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Then add the tofu, mix well. Push all the vegetables to the edge of the pan, making a hole in the centre. Put the rice in there, breaking any clumps down with your fingers. Add 2 tbsp of Lao Gan Ma, 1 tbsp of vegan oyster sauce, 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Give everything a good toss and mix.
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This is the Lao Gan Ma I use.
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Add a pinch of white pepper, sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
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Serve hot topped with shallots and spring onion greens.
