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Japanese Fried Rice (Chāhan) with Instant Seasoning

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This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

Fried rice is one of those dishes that exists in most cuisines in different forms. Japanese fried rice originated from China so it resembles Chinese fried rice a lot.

Japanese fried rice is called ‘chāhan’ (チャーハンor炒飯). It is also called ‘yakimeshi’ (焼飯) but I remember that the word ‘yakimeshi’ was used by older people and younger people called it ‘chāhan’. There might be subtle differences in the way the rice is cooked with other ingredients but both chāhan and yakimeshi are fried rice.

Since Japanese people cook and eat rice almost every day, you can easily understand why fried rice became a popular dish. As long as you have leftover rice and vegetables and/or egg, you can quickly make flavoursome fried rice.

When I was in high school, I used to order fried rice at Chinese restaurants. It always came with a small bowl of clear soup that was so tasty and a wonderful accompaniment to the rice dish. At the time, the majority of Chinese restaurants had a home delivery service.

This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

Since both my parents were working full time, we sometimes ordered meals over the phone (didn’t have internet!) and got them delivered for dinner. They only delivered in the general vicinity of their restaurants so the foods were still hot when delivered. Chāhan was one of my favourites along with ‘tanmen’ (タンメン, combination noodle soup).

I am sure it is the same in China, and in Japan every household has its own flavouring of fried rice and favourite ingredients to cook with. But my mother was not fond of cooking and alas, she never taught me how to cook fried rice. Or shall I say, she only knew how to order fried rice from Chinese restaurants.

So, I had to learn fried rice my way after I got married and I cheated by using a sachet of fried rice seasoning.

The fried rice seasoning is called ‘Chāhan no Moto’ (炒飯の素) and the brand name is ‘Amijirushi’ (あみ印). This seasoning (photo below) was sold at the supermarkets more than 40 years ago in Japan when I had just gotten married and the packaging has never even changed since then.

In fact, at the top right corner of the package in the photo, it says ’60 Year Anniversary Thank You Campaign’. If it lasted 60 years without even changing anything, it must be good, right? There are a few other brands of fried rice seasoning on the market now, but I always buy Amijirushi Chāhan no Moto.

Amijirushi Chāhan no Moto - sold at Japanese grocery stores.

All you need to do is stir fry ingredients with rice, add the seasoning and mix. The package comes with 6 sachets and each sachet contains 6g (0.2oz) of fried rice seasoning. On the back of the package, it shows how to make fried rice with just an egg and chopped shallots (scallions). For 1 serving, it suggests that 250g (0.5lb) of cooked rice with 1 sachet of seasoning is to be added.

Amijirushi Chāhan no Moto is not available at supermarkets or even Asian grocery stores but Japanese grocery stores usually stock them. You can also buy it online through Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Amijirushi-Chahan-Calendar-Fried-Seasoning/dp/B00IOBFKZ2).

The flavour of the seasoning is very similar to the home delivery fried rice I used to eat when I was young. Unlike Chinese fried rice, it does not have strong garlic flavours or sesame flavours. I must say the flavour really has a Japanese touch.

When I cook fried rice using this seasoning, I feel a bit guilty for using store-bought flavouring. So, I often add garlic and sesame oil to produce my own flavour.

I use garlic to infuse aroma to the oil and cook egg in this oil first. Put aside the egg, then stir fry the meat, vegetables and rice. Return the egg, add seasoning and drop sesame oil in at the end.

This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

Key to a great fried rice

In short, cook ingredients on high heat quickly. Prolonged stir frying will make the rice soggy and heavy, not fluffy. Here are a few tips to achieve this.

  • You need to use hot or warm cooked rice. When cooking fried rice, you usually use left-over rice which is kept in the fridge. You might be tempted to just add the chilled rice to stir fry but don’t do it. Warm up the rice in the microwave to room temperature or hot. This will make a huge difference in speeding up the heating process of the fried rice. If you have freshly cooked rice which is still hot, it’s even better.
  • If you have a wok, great but if you don’t use a large fry pan. It is better to use a wok or a fry pan that is too big than too small. an over-crowded fry pan will prolong cooking time and will not make good fried rice.
  • Just like any other Chinese dishes, stir frying rice is also very fast and you need to chop all the ingredients and have them ready before heating up a wok/fry pan.

This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

This is the Maehashi fried rice which I used to make when working full-time and bringing up three kids (and I still make this fried rice just for myself). It is yummy, quick to make, and use up leftover rice. Add soup and a small side dish, then dinner is ready.

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5 from 4 votes
This is a quick Japanese fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg and chopped vegetables. If you want, add meat too. The flavour of the Japanese fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.
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Japanese Fried Rice (Chāhan) with Instant Seasoning
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

This is a quick fried rice made with store-bought fried rice seasoning. All you need is rice, egg, chopped vegetables and meat if you want. The flavour of the fried rice is similar to Chinese fried rice but a bit lighter and less oily.

Recipe Type: Rice
Cuisine: Japanese
Serves: 2 - 3 Servings
Author: Yumiko
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked rice (note 1)
  • 1 clove of garlic , crushed with the side of knife
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped green part of shallots (scallions) (note 2)
  • 60g (2.1oz) sliced ham , cut into small pieces (note 3)
  • 1 packet of fried rice seasoning (note 6)
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions

  1. If cooked rice is cold, microwave for 1 minute to warm up. 

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or a large frypan over medium heat and add the garlic.
  3. When garlic aroma comes up, remove the garlic and discard (be careful not to burn the garlic as it becomes bitter).

  4. Turn the heat up to high and add two eggs into the wok/pan. Stir, breaking the egg yolks and mixing with whites. When mostly cooked (no need to break them up), transfer the egg to a plate.

  5. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the work/pan over high heat. Add carrot and onion pieces.
  6. Stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the ham. Stir fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until onion pieces become transparent.

  7. Add the rice and stir for about 30 seconds, ensuring that each rice grain is separated and there are no lumps of rice.

  8. Add the egg and shallots and stir for another 30 seconds, breaking the egg into smaller pieces.
  9. Add the seasoning and stir well to mix the seasoning powder into the ingredients.
  10. Drop the sesame oil along the side of the wok/pan and mix well. Turn the heat off and serve while hot (note 4).
Recipe Notes

1. My cooked rice was short grain rice because it was the left-over from a Japanese meal. You can also use long grain rice which is less sticky and easier to stir fry. Freshly cooked rice is also good to use.

2. I used green parts only to get better colour to the fried rice. You can use the white part, too if you like.

3. I had sliced ham in the fridge but it does not have to be sliced. You can use left-over Christmas ham if you like and cut into small pieces.  

You could also use sliced or chopped meat. Pork or chicken would be good. Small prawns (shrimps) would also be good. When using uncooked meat, I cook them before sautéing vegetables.

4. I used a rice bowl to mould the fried rice onto a shallow serving bowl for better presentation. But you don’t need to do that. In fact, I just served the rice in a bowl when I was working full time. I had no time for extra steps and extra washing!

5. I chose these vegetables for the best colour combinations but you can use other vegetables. I sometimes use bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, green beans, shiitake mushrooms.

6. I use the brand called 'Amijirushi Chāhan no Moto'. You can buy it at Japanese grocery stores or online through Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Amijirushi-Chahan-Calendar-Fried-Seasoning/dp/B00IOBFKZ2).

Update: I was advised that Amazon site says Out of Stock but eBay sells it and delivers worldwide. Here is the link https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amijirushi-Fired-Rice-Seasoning-Powder-Japan-Easy-Cooking-For-6-Servings-/282449195213.

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Comments

  1. Hi Yumiko!
    I live in Singapore and I have been searching locally for your Amijirushi Chāhan No Moto instant fried rice seasoning for a long time.

    And I found it today! Happiness! For the convenience of your Singapore readers, please head to Don Don Donki (in Japan it is apparently known as Don Quijote, the biggest discount store chain) a 24-hour discount store in Orchard Central mall. I didn’t check the other Don Don Donki stores in Singapore, just the one in Orchard Central mall.

    I am sure I will enjoy my Chāhan now!

    Reply

    • Hi CY, thanks for sharing the great information. Good luck with Chāhan and let me know what you think.
      That’s so cute to call Don Quijote ‘Don Don Donki’! In Japan, people often call it Donki by shortening the sound. They sell almost everything and I always go there before returning to Sydney and buy a lot of food and drinks to take back home. You are lucky to have Donki in Singapore as I understand that Singapore is the only place other than Hawaii which has Donki outside Japan.

      Reply

  2. Seeing that the rice seasoning is difficult to find, I looked for a recipe! You can use these ingredients for seasoning fried rice, though I think this is for more than two cups of cooked rice. To taste, then:

    1.5 tablespoons garlic powder.
    2 tablespoons onion powder
    1 tablespoons ginger powder.
    1-2 tablespoon muscovado (unrefined), or coconut sugar.
    1 tablespoon salt.
    2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (opt.)

    Reply

    • The discontinued packet of “Calendar” rice seasoning on Amazon says it’s .63 oz. That’s 3-4 teaspoons. I don’t know if the .63 oz weight is for one packet, or for the 3-pack. But, I’m surely going to try the recipe, now!

      Reply

      • Hi Chris, each sachet contains 6g of seasoning which is about 0.2oz.
        It’s interesting to know that on the back of the Overseas version of the packet, it does not include sesame oil.

        Reply

    • Hi Chris, thanks for this. I shall try your seasoning recipe.
      I checked the list of ingredients on the back of Amijirushi Chāhan no Moto. It also includes sesame oil, bonito flakes powder and possible pepper (it says spices).

      Reply

    • Hi Frank, living in down under, it’s really hard for me to work out what’s available in the US and what’s not. But in the case of fried rice seasoning in question, I sometimes had a hard time finding it at even aJapanese grocery shops. So, I’m glad that eBay sells it!

      Reply

  4. Hi, I would like some advice, as I am hooked to your recipes and my daughter is delighted with them I am starting to need a wok, the wok I see at the asian stores are veery very think, so they work, are they good or do you recommend some type? I would really appreciate some guideliness. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Olga, did you mean very very thick? I saw two kinds of wok at our Asian grocery stores. Very thick material which seem to ahve some coating (possible non-stick?) and thin iron material with metal handle or wooden handle. I find that thin iron/steal wok is lighter and the best, if you can find them. Please refer to the article about how to buy and care for a wok by Serious Eats whom I adore. It also recommends iron.

      Reply

  5. Hello Yumiko! Thanks for sharing these recipes in such an easy and detailed way. I went searching for the seasoning and I was SO AMAZED when I found it in a specialty shop just a block from home.. ( We live in MIlano, Italy!) I am going to try the recipe today. I also found the bulldog sauces and other unusual ( at least here in italy) ingredients and the lady was a bit surprised by my shopping list :)). I found your blog reading Nagi’s one and I love them both, thanks again for sharing , you have some new fans here . Francesca

    Reply

    • Hi Francesca, thanks for reaching me out. I am glad that you found a good store near by. Now, you have no excuses! I love Italy. I have been there a couple of times but not Milan. Love, love Italian food.

      Reply

  6. Hi Nagi,
    I am delighted to have stumbled across Recipe Tin Eats and, and I, as a dedicated and accomplished improvisational cook (and former restaurant owner dedicated to a vast array of healthy menu items at The Litehouse Grill), feel that I have found my soulmate in cooking styles and recipes. Although I don’t have a blog, nor have I monetized my extensive recipe files, which I have developed from scratch, with inspiration from dozens of cookbooks in my library. I never cook from recipes in books and rarely routinely visit the same cooking sites, with the exception now, of yours. I have been utterly amazed to find more than a few of your recipes, which are so similar to mine in ingredients and “measure” that it is uncanny. You have got “the touch” for authenticity, while not over complicating a dish to the extent that many would not attempt it. I find that many publications such as Bon Appetit or Food and Wine, tend to get too esoteric to the point that most will not bother tackling their dishes. So my hat is off to you and bravo for having sensible tastes. I am also grateful to you for linking a handful of equally sensible blogs for me to discover and enjoy (Spend With Pennies, Culinary Hill, Chelsea’s Messy Apron, and Carlsbad Cravings). Looks like you girls had a great time together in California.

    Having said all that, being in the heart of the USA (Kansas), I would like your thoughts on a substitution for that Japanese flavoring packet which you grew up with (in your stir fry rice recipe), and which you indicate can be found on eBay, but prohibitive in cost due to shipping. In my Google searches for your Chahan seasoning packet, I stumbled upon the following spice blend at https://eatingrules.com/asian-spice-mixes/ . When you have the time, might you whip up this 5 spice blend, made from common ingredients and try it out in your Fried Rice recipe and see if it measures up as a worthy replacement. It would certainly be of interest to your blog readers who have commented on the difficulty in finding that favorite spice packet.

    Thanks again and keep that creative fire burning.
    Michael

    Reply

    • Hi Michael, this is Yumiko here, the author of RecipeTin Japan which is linked from Nagi’s RecipeTin Eats site. I am Nagi’s mother. I know it’s confusing and you are not the first person writing a comment to Nagi on my blog. I will certainly pass on your comment to Nagi but your feedback on Japanese Fried Rice & seasoning certainly belongs to me. I shall endeavour to post a ‘fried rice from scratch’ recipe sometime.

      Reply

  7. Thank you, Nagi’s Mom, for these wonderful recipes and ideas! Japanese cuisine has long been a very special treat!

    Reply

  8. Hi and thank you for this recipe! I actually found the fried rice spice on Germany’s Amazon (I’m in Germany). Does it contain any lemongrass or ginger? I ask because I really dislike both, so I’m worried one of those might be in the spice mix. I’d be grateful for any info. 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Alex, that’s great that you found the fried rice seasoning. It does not contain ginger, nor lemongrass in the mix. So you are good to try it. I hope you enjoy fried rice!

      Reply

  10. Went to the amazon link to buy the fried rice seasoning but it says does not ship to australia. Is there a substitute brand that is available or that you can recommend to use instead of this brand? as am so looking forward to making this recipe. Even looked to buy frm ebay to no avail.

    Reply

    • Hi Linda, it’s unfortunate. If there is not Japanese grocery stores near by, it would be very difficult to find Amijirushi seasoning. There are other fried rice seasonings have particular flavours such as prawns, pork. You can still use these seasonings if you can find them. The popular brand is ‘Nagatanien’. If you search on ‘Nagatanien charhan’, you will find the pictures of various flavours. You night be able to buy it through Rakuten Global Market online (https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/jnl/item/e250981h0000/).

      Reply

    • Hi Linda, me too, like you, check into Amazon but wedsite say no stock @ the moment. I just check ebay, stocks is available and ship worldwide. Hope this help. Thanks

      Reply

    • Hi Jeanette, the packet indicates that it is made up of salt, glucose, starch, powdered vegetables (onion, garlic), mixed spices, sesame oil, bonito extract powder, seasoning (amino acid etc.), coloring (caramel, carotenoid).

      Reply

      • Hi Yumiko, First of all, thank you very much for sharing with us this fabulous fried rice receipt. I just click on the link below @ Amazon.com but the wedsite say no more stock @ the moment. I live in Malaysia & i’m wondering I can find this Japanese seasoning in our Asian supermarkets. Anyhow thanks again for sharing. I’m so keen to try it.

        Reply

        • Hi Peggy, I am sorry but I’m not sure if any of the Japanese grocery stores in Malaysia would sell it. But as you said in the next comment, eBay seems to have it. I shall update the recipe notes with this information.

          Reply

  12. I absolutely LOVE fried rice! However, I never had much luck making it since I no real instructions on the proper way to make it. Now, with your instructions, I think I will be able to make fried rice without having mushy rice in it! I googled the brand of instant seasoning that you use, but didn’t come up with that brand. I guess I will just have to substitute some other brand of instant seasonings or make my own. Anyway, I am thrilled to now know the proper way to make fried rice. Thank you, Yumiko!

    Reply

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