Crispy Egg Rice Bowl (Printable Version)

Golden crispy rice layered with fried egg, fresh veggies, and savory soy dressing for a quick and tasty meal.

# What You Need:

→ Rice

01 - 2 cups cooked white or jasmine rice, preferably day-old and cold

→ Eggs

02 - 2 large eggs

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

03 - 1 small carrot, julienned
04 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
05 - 2 scallions, sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or sugar

→ Cooking

11 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying

# How-to Steps:

01 - Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey or sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cold rice, pressing into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.
03 - Flip or stir the rice carefully to crisp additional edges if desired. Divide the crispy rice evenly between two serving bowls.
04 - Return the skillet to heat, add remaining oil, and fry eggs until whites are set and edges are crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Leave yolks runny if preferred.
05 - Top each bowl of crispy rice with a fried egg. Arrange carrot, cucumber, and scallions around the egg. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over.
06 - Serve immediately, stirring all components together before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy rice base gives you that addictive textural contrast that makes eating feel intentional, not rushed.
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for nights when you want something restaurant-quality without the order confirmation email.
  • The runny egg yolk becomes your sauce, so there's no fussing with dressings or wondering if you added enough.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is essential—fresh rice has too much moisture and will steam instead of crisping, and you'll end up with soft rice no matter how hard you press it down.
  • Don't fidget with the rice while it cooks; the hands-off time is what builds that crust, and stirring it early just releases steam and undoes all your work.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick skillet without question—stainless steel will stick no matter how much oil you use, and cast iron takes forever to heat evenly for this.
  • The sesame oil in the sauce should be toasted sesame oil, not regular sesame oil, or it won't have that nutty, unmistakable flavor that ties everything together.
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