Fried Rice

A camp-kitchen way of turning yesterday's rice into a griddle cake, built on the same logic as fried cornmeal mush. Two things decide whether it works: how the rice is cooled and how patiently it is turned.

• Cool it safely, not slowlyCooked rice held for hours at ambient temperature can grow Bacillus cereus, which produces a toxin that later frying will not destroy. Pack the hot rice into the bowl, get it cool within an hour or so, then refrigerate and use within a day; do not leave it out overnight.
• The rice has to be stickyOnly soft, starchy rice will knit into a sliceable block. Short-grain or plain long-grain cooked with a little extra water works; parboiled or converted rice stays loose and will crumble on the spatula.
• Pack it hardPress the rice down firmly into a straight-sided bowl or a loaf pan so there are no air pockets, and chill it thoroughly. A well-set block turns out clean and cuts without tearing.
• Slice thicknessThe recipe gives no measurement; fried mush is usually cut around half an inch thick. Thinner slices fall apart; thicker ones stay cold in the middle.
• Fat and heatUse a heavy skillet, a generous film of bacon fat, butter or oil, and medium heat. The slices need several minutes a side to build a crust that holds them together, and they should be left alone until that crust forms.
• TurningThe caution in the original is the hinge of the dish. Slide a wide, thin spatula fully under each slice, and flip once only. Poking or lifting early is what breaks them.
• ServingSyrup, honey or jam makes it a breakfast; salt, pepper and a fried egg makes it a supper.