Fried rice has been a staple in the kitchen since the Sui Dynasty (589-618 CE), which is the time it's thought to have been invented. While this dish is an undeniable favorite around the world, there are some things you might not have known about it. Here's a brief look at the history of fried rice in Chinese cuisine, whether you're a fan of fried rice or just want to learn more about the culture.

Origins of Fried Rice

Fried rice is a dish that has been around for centuries. Historians believe that is may have originated in the city of Yangzhou, which is in the eastern province of Jiangsu. In fact, there is a type of fried rice that is known as Yang Zhou fried rice. The Yang Zhou version is considered the earliest known formal recipe and will often contain leftover rice, eggs, vegetables, and at least two types of meat.

While these are the main elements in the dish, it will also consist of a variety of seasonings including soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, stock, and oil. You will also see this dish made with lard.

Growing Popularity

At least 509.87 million metric tons of rice is consumed worldwide, meaning it's popularity and use remains consistent.  What people may not know is that today's fried rice looks a bit different than how it started. Now, many go to restaurants for great Chinese cuisine just to get a taste of fried rice. However, this dish is believed to have started as a way to better prepare and eat leftovers.

The idea was that even though the traditional southern Chinese mainly preferred plain rice, the vegetables and rice dishes that were leftover from the day, or days before were seen as too good to be fed to farm animals and still not ready to be thrown away just yet. Stir-frying that leftover rice and seasoning it was a way to revitalize it.

Fried Rice Today

Today, while fried rice is often seen as a primary side dish, it’s much more than just a leftover. Multiple variants of fried rice exist today and what you often see in today’s version of fried rice will almost always consist of some type of chopped meat, vegetables, scallions, and eggs. Essentially, the concept is the same but it's now viewed as a primary dish versus secondary. 

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