The Tinned Fish That Takes Fried Rice To A Whole New Level Of Umami

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The Tinned Fish That Takes Fried Rice To A Whole New Level Of Umami By Maria Scinto Sept. 27, 2025 11:00 am EST

The perfect fried rice may not require much more than a small amount of bacon for flavoring, but if you want to upgrade it from a side dish to a main course, you'll probably want more protein. The fried rice used in the ketchup-topped Japanese omurice often contains chicken, while the dish is also an excellent way to transform leftover steak strips. If you're out of fresh meat, though, canned fish makes a great shelf-stable alternative. (Don't turn up your nose! Trust us, canned fish can make you a better cook .) As restaurateur Maricel Gentile, author of Maricel's Simply Asian Cookbook , tells The Takeout, when it comes to adding protein to fried rice,