Special Arroz Chaufa

Use thoroughly chilled cooked rice, ideally from the day before, and separate it until no compact clumps remain. Cut the chicken breast and roast pork into small, even pieces. Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry. Finely chop the garlic and ginger, and separate the white parts of the scallions from the green tops. Once the wok goes on, everything should be ready.

Toss the chicken with about one fifth of the soy sauce and all of the cornstarch, until every piece has a thin coating. Heat the wok over high heat with some of the vegetable oil, spread the chicken in a single layer, and leave it undisturbed for 20 to 30 seconds before tossing. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it has golden edges and a fully opaque center with no pink remaining. Remove it as soon as it reaches that point.

Add another portion of the vegetable oil and pour in the beaten eggs. Let them set for a few seconds, then break them up with the spatula for 45 to 60 seconds, until they form soft pieces that are just set. Remove them before they dry out.

Keep the wok very hot and add the shrimp in a single layer. Stir-fry for 1 to 1½ minutes, until they are opaque and curled into a C shape while still looking juicy. Add the roast pork and toss for another 30 to 45 seconds, just to heat it through and toast a few edges. Remove both immediately; the shrimp will continue cooking briefly from residual heat.

Bring the wok back to high heat and add the remaining vegetable oil, the white parts of the scallions, the garlic, and the ginger. Stir-fry for 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant, then immediately add the cold rice. Spread it across the bottom and leave it undisturbed for 20 to 30 seconds, until it begins to fry; turn it, break up the final clumps, and repeat that contact for 2 to 3 minutes, until the grains are separate, piping hot, and toasted in spots. Add the oyster sauce and pour the remaining soy sauce around the hot edge of the wok; toss for another 30 to 45 seconds, until the rice is savory and evenly colored while remaining dry and loose.

Return the chicken, roast pork, shrimp, and egg to the wok. Toss for only 30 to 45 seconds, until everything is evenly distributed and hot again. Turn off the heat, add the sesame oil and green scallion tops, and toss one final time. Serve immediately: the rice should remain loose and toasted, the chicken juicy, the pork distinct, and the shrimp tender. If none of the proteins disappears beneath the soy sauce, it came out exactly right. Special for real—not merely chaufa with an inventory list. 🔥