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Cantonese fried rice with chicken, salted fish and bean sprouts

Cantonese fried rice with chicken, salted fish and bean sprouts

When I was a child, my mother would often stretch the family meal with steamed salted fish and minced pork served over rice. Sometimes she would fry the rice with bits of salted fish. Satisfying and full of wok-fragrance, we viewed this dish as rather rustic, but now it is considered chic and served in upmarket restaurants. The following recipe is adapted from Golden Leaf Restaurant at the Conrad Hong Kong hotel. For the best results use day-old cooked rice.

Cantonese fried rice with chicken, salted fish and bean sprouts

Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 10 mins, cook 10 mins
80 ml (1/3 cup)   vegetable oil
30 gm   salted fish, or to taste, skinned and lightly rinsed in water (see note)
100 gm   chicken thigh fillets, cut into small cubes
2   eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
400 gm   steamed long-grain rice, preferably cooked the night before
½ cup   thinly sliced green onions
1 cup   bean sprouts, trimmed
1 tbsp   light soy sauce


1 Heat half the oil in a wok over high heat. Add salted fish and stirfry for 2-3 minutes or until crisp and golden, then remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add chicken to wok, stirfry for 1-2 minutes or until chicken turns white, then remove using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil, pour in egg and cook, swirling it around until just set. Add rice and stirfry, separating grains, for 2 minutes. Add salted fish, chicken and remaining ingredients, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, stirfry for another minute or until heated through and serve immediately.

Note One of the best salted fish is Nan Fong. It’s made with mackerel from Thailand and is available vacuum-packed in the refrigerated section of Asian grocers.

RECIPE Tony Tan PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Emma Knowles

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