Prep your ingredients first: Dice the carrots into tiny cubes — you want them about the size of a pea — and finely chop the onion. Grate the ginger and mince the garlic. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them until the yolks and whites are fully combined and the mixture looks pale yellow and slightly frothy.

Scramble the eggs: Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds until the edges start to set and turn golden. Gently stir with a wooden spoon, breaking the eggs into small curds. When they look fluffy and just cooked through — about 90 seconds — transfer them to a plate and set aside.

Sauté the aromatics: Add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Toss in the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the carrot softens — roughly 4 minutes. The kitchen should smell sweet and savoury. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add the frozen vegetables: Tip in the frozen edamame and peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. You’ll know they’re ready when the peas turn bright green and the edamame is tender but still has a slight bite. The pan should look vibrant and colourful.

Fry the rice: Crumble the cold rice into the pan — it should break apart easily. Turn the heat up to high and spread the rice in an even layer. Let it sit for 30 seconds to develop a slight char, then stir vigorously. Repeat this process 2-3 times. You’re looking for grains that are separate, glossy, and have little golden-brown spots from the pan.

Season and combine: Drizzle the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil over the rice. Sprinkle in the white pepper and salt. Toss everything together until the rice is evenly coated and smells deeply savoury and nutty. The colour should be a uniform golden brown.

Fold in the eggs and spring onions: Return the scrambled eggs to the pan and add most of the spring onions, reserving a handful for garnish. Gently fold everything together until the eggs are distributed throughout the rice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Rest before serving: Remove the pan from the heat and let the fried rice sit for 2 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld and the rice to set slightly. Garnish with the remaining spring onions and serve hot.