Hello friends, I hope you all are doing well and staying safe and healthy. Now that many of us are spending our days safer at home, we’re also cooking a lot more too.
So I’m sharing a classic recipe for this month – fried rice!
This is a great way to use up random leftovers in the fridge, and this recipe uses all pantry staples and stuff you might have on hand in the freezer. It’s a meal that can help stretch your leftovers to prevent waste, and make an extra meal to help put off an unnecessary trip to the grocery store. It is also endlessly customizable, and you can add pretty much anything you want.
In the photos, I used:
-Hot dog
-Fresh shiitake mushrooms
-Frozen vegetable mix of corn, peas and carrots
Here are some ideas for what to put in your fried rice:
Protein – leftover cooked chicken, beef, pork, or tofu, Chinese sausage, char siu (Chinese bbq pork), hot dog, or the Tom family specialty, Spam!
Vegetables – leftover roasted vegetables, chopped leafy greens, canned vegetables, frozen peas, corn, green beans, carrots, broccoli, or different mixes of vegetables.
Rice – white or brown rice. Day old leftover rice is preferred, but you can start with freshly cooked rice too.
Ingredients
Serves 2
2 tablespoons sesame oil or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1 cup protein of choice
2 cups vegetables of choice
4 cups cooked rice
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
Directions
Chop garlic and ginger and set aside. Dice the vegetables and protein of choice (if necessary) so each piece is about the same size for even and quick cooking.
Heat a large saucepan or wok to medium high and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add garlic, ginger, and protein and stir fry for 2-3 minutes (meat should already be cooked). Add vegetables and continue to stir fry for about 3-5 minutes.
Microwave the rice in a separate bowl for about 60 seconds. After microwaving, add the rice to the vegetables and continue to stir fry, letting the rice get a little crispy. Add the beaten egg by pouring it over the rice and stir to combine and scramble the egg. Turn the heat off and add soy sauce and any extra toppings of choice.
Optional toppings:
-Chopped fresh green onions
-Chopped nuts – especially peanuts or walnuts
-Seeds – sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds
-Goji berries
-Frozen pineapple (if using, cook it when you add the vegetables to the pan)
-Furikake (Japanese dried fish and seaweed seasoning)
-Sesame oil
-Chili oil, Sraricha, or hot sauce of your choice
