Glazed Steak Bites & Garlic Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that's either absolutely amazing or completely forgettable. It all depends on the restaurant. Some places serve fried rice that's packed with bold, savory flavor, while others leave you wondering where the seasoning went. I'll take the flavorful version every single time.

The good news is that great fried rice is surprisingly easy to make at home. The biggest secret is using cold, day-old rice. In my case, I always cook extra rice and stash the leftovers in the freezer specifically for recipes like this. It's one of my favorite meal prep tricks because I always have perfectly chilled rice ready to go. The key is remembering to get it out of the freezer.

At first glance, this recipe looks like it has a lot of moving parts, but don't let that scare you away. It actually comes together pretty quickly. I do recommend following the recipe in the order it's written, though. I thought I could streamline things my own way, and all I accomplished was creating extra dishes to wash. After making it once, I completely understood why the recipe was written the way it was.

If I could offer one tip, it would be to go a little lighter on the black pepper in the beef marinade, especially if you're using freshly ground pepper. It packs a lot more punch than the pre-ground pepper I usually cook with. I also have to admit that I eyeballed the measurement instead of actually measuring it, so that's on me. The beef ended up just a bit too peppery for my taste, but otherwise this recipe was a winner and one I'd happily make again.

Glazed Steak Bites & Garlic Fried Rice

Recipe from Moribyan

Serves 3

STEAK BITES

• 1 pound tenderloin steak, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, additional for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons beef broth
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

GARLIC FRIED RICE

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon gochujang
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 3 eggs

Green onions, sliced (for garnish)

GARLIC FRIED RICE

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Set aside. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add half of the butter and let it melt.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the cooked jasmine rice and break it up, tossing to coat in the garlic butter.

Add the soy sauce and gochujang. Toss until evenly combined.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Push the rice outward to create an empty space in the center of the wok. Add the remaining butter to the center.

Pour the whisked eggs into the center and let them set slightly, then gently scramble.

Once softly scrambled, mix the eggs into the rice.

Toss everything together for another 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.

Remove the fried rice from the wok and set aside.

GLAZED STEAK BITES

In a bowl, toss the cubed tenderloin with oil, paprika, salt, black pepper, and baking soda. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and black pepper.

Heat the wok over high heat until very hot. Add a light coating of neutral oil.

Add the steak in a single layer and sear without moving for 1 to 2 minutes.

Toss and continue cooking until browned on all sides and cooked to your preferred doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes total.

Reduce heat slightly and pour in the sauce. Toss continuously as it thickens and coats the steak, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from heat once glossy and sticky.

ASSEMBLE

Spoon the garlic fried rice into a large serving bowl or divide onto plates.

Add the glazed steak bites right in the center.

Garnish generously with sliced green onions.