Air Fryer Vegetable Fried Rice
A quick and flavorful fried rice cooked in an air fryer with fresh vegetables and eggs.
Steps
- 1
Set the Air Fryer to Sauté mode at 190°C. Add sesame oil and cook onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 2
Add carrot, frozen peas, and frozen corn. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 3
Push vegetables to one side of the pot. Pour beaten eggs into the empty space and stir until fully set.
- 4
Add cold cooked rice and soy sauce. Mix well, then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 5
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped green onions.
- 6
Serve hot.
Shopping list
3 cups cooked cold rice, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 onion chopped, 1 carrot small cubes, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup frozen corn, 2 eggs beaten, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp grated ginger, 2 green onions chopped, salt and pepper to taste
Recipe story
Fried rice originated in Chinese imperial cuisine over a thousand years ago, where royal chefs transformed leftover rice into a culinary masterpiece. During the Sui dynasty, this dish was served at royal banquets, symbolizing ingenuity and respect for ingredients. Over centuries, the recipe spread across Asia, with each region adding local ingredients. Today, fried rice is a staple in kitchens worldwide, adapted for quick and healthy cooking in an air fryer.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Ginger
Ginger, known since antiquity, was one of the first spices brought along the Silk Road, so precious that a kilogram of ginger was worth a sheep in medieval Europe.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Onion
Probably originating in Central or West Asia, onions were cultivated in ancient Egypt, where they were considered a symbol of eternity and placed in tombs. In ancient Greece, athletes ate them to balance their blood, and in Rome, they were a staple food for soldiers. During the Middle Ages, onions were believed to protect against arrows and the plague.
Cloves
Cloves, the dried buds of the exotic Syzygium aromaticum tree, were one of the most prized spices of the ancient world, often called 'aromatic gold'. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the clove trade, bringing them from the Maluku Islands, the only place they grew, and selling them at exorbitant prices in Europe.
Sesame
In Assyrian mythology, the gods drank sesame wine on the night before the creation of the world, and in ancient Rome, sesame seeds were sprinkled on soldiers' bread to give them strength. In the Middle Ages, sesame was considered a magical food capable of boosting vitality. Today, it is valued for its oil rich in essential fatty acids.
Carrot
The carrot, known in antiquity as a medicinal remedy rather than a vegetable, was originally purple or white. It wasn't until the 17th century that Dutch breeders developed the orange variety, honoring the House of Orange.
Peas
Peas are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, with archaeological evidence in Neolithic sites from the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, dried peas were a staple food across Europe, and in the 16th century, the sweet garden pea was developed in Italy. Fun fact: peas were among the first vegetables to be frozen commercially, in the 1920s.
Corn
Corn, native to Central America, was domesticated over 9,000 years ago in Mexico. After the discovery of the Americas, it spread rapidly to Europe, Africa, and Asia, becoming a global staple crop. Fun fact: in Italy, corn was called 'grano turco' (Turkish wheat) because it was believed to originate from the East.
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