That’s actually key. The outside starch coat can’t be at all sticky, and the grains have to separate enough to move around the wok. But not too dry as to resemble uncooked rice. Any other way, and you get a hot blob of rice with seasoning on the outside - basically a really rough fried mochi.
Actually Kenji from serious eats tested it and fresh rice is just as good, it just had to dry out. Dry was the important part.
https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-vegetable-fried-rice-recipe
Wow, that was a good read! I love his recipe for Detroit deep dish pizza dough.
That’s actually key. The outside starch coat can’t be at all sticky, and the grains have to separate enough to move around the wok. But not too dry as to resemble uncooked rice. Any other way, and you get a hot blob of rice with seasoning on the outside - basically a really rough fried mochi.