House Fried Rice – Esposito House

May 1, 2025/Esposito Home Cooked Creations/

House Fried is always on the Esposito Family ordering list whether we are at PF Changs or Hunan Taste in Denville, NJ – it’s one of those comfort dishes that hits every note: savory, slightly sweet, with crispy bits of egg, scallion, and whatever protein they’ve got sizzling on the wok. But when we started making our own char siu pork at home, everything changed. It doesn’t compete with the pro’s but it makes the cut in our house and is in the regular rotation!

This dish is adapted from two trusted sources: the fried rice technique comes from Food Network’s reliable base recipe, while the deeply flavored char siu marinade is inspired by the fantastic version on RecipeTin Eats. Together, they make a wok-fired rice bowl that rivals anything we’ve had from a restaurant — and it starts with pork you can prepare in the Ninja Foodi the day before.

Ingredients

For the Char Siu Pork

1.5 lb pork ribs
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Red food coloring (optional, for traditional red hue)

For the Fried Rice

4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old, but you can also use the pressure cooker and cool rapidly before incorporating here)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup steamed broccoli florets
1/2 cup fresh carrots, julienned (use a Titan Peeler $49 on Amazon for best results)
1/4 cup chopped scallions (plus more for topping)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 lb char siu pork ribs, chopped or pulled

Instructions

Marinate the pork: Combine all marinade ingredients and coat the pork ribs thoroughly. Marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Pressure cook the pork in the Ninja Foodi: Place marinated pork ribs and 1/4 cup of water into the Ninja Foodi. Seal the lid and set to Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes. Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Open the lid, then optionally select Air Crisp at 400°F for 5–8 minutes to caramelize the edges. Let rest, then slice, dice, or shred!
Prepare the egg: In a nonstick pan over medium heat, pour in the beaten eggs to form a very thin, even layer. Cook gently without scrambling. Once set, carefully roll the egg into a cylinder, transfer to a cutting board, and slice into thin strips like pinwheels. Set aside.
Prepare the rice: Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high. Add red bell pepper, steamed broccoli, and julienned carrots. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Then add rice and stir-fry until rice is hot and slightly crisped.
Add flavor: Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and chopped char siu pork ribs. Add the sliced egg ribbons back to the wok and toss everything together. Finish with scallions.

Serving Suggestion

Serve piping hot with extra chopped scallions and a drizzle of chili crisp or sriracha on the side. This is one of those dishes where leftovers might taste even better the next day — but we rarely have any left.

Char siu pork ribs can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for longer storage. Make a double batch and freeze the other half — you won’t regret it.