This Pickled Mustard Greens Fried Rice—known as Takana Chahan—is a popular regional dish from Kyushu. Thanks to the tangy pickle, this simple fried rice is packed with comfort and plenty of umami! Add fluffy scrambled egg for extra protein and a pop of color. It‘s a quick meal you can make in 20 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: fried rice
Servings: 2
Calories: 410kcal
Author: Namiko Chen
Ingredients
2servingscooked Japanese short-grain rice(2⅝ cups, 495 g; cooled; day-old rice, preferably; if you haven‘t prepped the rice yet, cook 1⅛ cups or 1½rice cooker cups (8 oz, 270 ml) short-grain rice and cool it following my instructions below)
1packagestir-fried takana (pickled mustard greens)(4.23 oz, 120 g; the package has the name takana aburaitame (高菜油炒め) or aji takana (味高菜); read more about this and how you can substitute in the blog post)
If you are using 2 servings of freshly cooked rice, transfer the hot rice to a baking sheet. Spread it out and let it cool completely.
Cut and separate the white and green parts of 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion) and set aside the green part for another use (I added it to miso soup with shiitake mushrooms). Thinly slice the white part of the negi.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and whisk together.
Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil in a wok (I used this medium carbon steel wok) over medium heat. When the wok is hot, add the beaten eggs. After a few seconds, the egg will start to float on top of the oil.
With a blunt-end wooden spatula, swirl the loosely set egg around the pan to continue cooking the rest of the egg.
When the bottom of the egg is set but the top is not yet fully cooked, transfer it back to the bowl.
Add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil to the wok, then add the white part of the Tokyo negi. Stir-fry to coat with the oil.
Add 1 package stir-fried takana (pickled mustard greens)and stir-fry for 2 minutes until well coated with oil.
Add 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice, cooled, to the wok. With the spatula, use a slicing motion to separate the rice clumps and combine the rice with the takana mixture.
Season the fried rice with 2 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp white pepper powder. Taste the fried rice and adjust the seasoning since each brand of stir-fried takana is flavored differently.
Add the cooked egg back into the wok and break it into smaller pieces. Toss everything together and turn off the heat. Serve the fried rice in individual plates/bowls. Enjoy!
To Store
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.