Recipe: Kate's Fried Rice
Fresh asparagus and peas contrast nicely with the chewy rice, in addition to providing color.
You can substitute oil for the soy sauce in this recipe, but I like my fried rice brown and salty.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Serves 6
• 1 ½ cups cubed or shredded meat (chicken, ham, etc.)
• 1 medium-large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• Scallions, thinly sliced, greens and whites separated
• 1 1/3 cups frozen peas (or corn, carrots, etc.), thawed and drained
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups cold cooked rice
• 1/3-cup vegetable oil (soy, corn, etc.)
• Salt and pepper
• Chili oil or sauce (optional)
Heat a large, nonstick skillet over high to medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onions, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook until the onion becomes fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the chopped garlic, ginger, and white scallions, and stir-fry for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Add the meat, stirring occasionally until it becomes lightly browned. Add the frozen vegetables, cooking until defrosted but still crisp. Transfer everything to a large bowl.
Using the same skillet, add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add the beaten eggs, with a little salt and pepper, and stir constantly until the eggs are almost set but still moist. Then transfer the eggs to the bowl with the rest of the cooked food, and break them into the rest with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Again using the same skillet, add the rest of the oil (if you've been using vegetable oil before this point, I would suggest using soy sauce to cook the rice in), and then add the rice to the pan, breaking it up. Stir-fry the rice to get it evenly coated with the oil, at which point stop stirring and let it cook undisturbed so that the rice begins to get slightly crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir it again, breaking up the clumps, and add the green scallions. Transfer the rice to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and mix together. Taste, adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve warm.