This simple sesame hibachi fried rice will take your tastebuds right back to your favorite Japanese steakhouse! This toasty fried rice is flavored with soy sauce and sesame seeds —no veggies or egg — and takes only 15 minutes to make. It makes the perfect side dish for teriyaki chicken or a full hibachi-style dinner at home! Don't forget the Japanese steakhouse white sauce!
Preheat a wok or large sauté pan to medium high. Add vegetable or olive oil and heat until it shimmers, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Crumble cold rice into the wok. You can break apart any remaining chunks with a spatula once it's in the pan, but using your hands gives a great head start. Stir and cook for about a minute.
Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally but not constantly. You want the rice to get a little bit of color on it between stirring.
Add sesame oil and sesame seeds and cook another 2 minutes or so, stirring frequently so the seeds get evenly toasty but don't burn.
If desired, pat the rice into a big rectangle, let it sit for a minute, and then cut into chunks. Alternately, scoop the rice into small bowls and pat down to create domed rice molds before serving.
Serve with simple hibachi vegetables, your choice of protein, and some Japanese white sauce.