Fried rice is always easy and tasty and practically free if you use your leftovers wisely. I strategically make a large batch of rice with whatever my main protein is early in the week (usually roasted chicken, beef, or pork), and then a few days later, when there’s only the last of the leftovers including a few cups of cooked rice that has dried out a bit in the fridge, conditions are perfect for fried rice! I never make fried rice exactly the same (and I rarely measure the ingredients) and it’s always a hit! The following recipe is a guideline to help inspire you to create different variations of fried rice that will not only serve as a tasty weeknight meal, but also helps to reduce food waste and help the household budget.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp canola oil (or any neutral flavored heart healthy oil for frying)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped ginger
4 Scallions, thinly sliced on an angle and white & green separated.
2 Tbsp lower sodium Soy Sauce
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced on an angle
2 carrots, grated
1/8 c water chestnuts that have been rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 eggs, beaten with 2-3 tsp water
3 cups (approximately) leftover white or brown rice out of the fridge
4-8 oz of leftover or frozen vegetables cut into same-sized small pieces, such as shelled edamame, peas, broccoli, mushrooms, sweet peppers, spicy peppers, shredded cabbage.
3-6 oz of leftover protein cut into small bites (chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, tofu, etc)
Salt & Pepper to taste
How I make it:
* Prep all ingredients and have them ready in small prep bowls or containers
* Start oil in cold wok, large skillet or large pot and add garlic and ginger
* Heat oil on med-to-med/hi, add celery and white scallion slices and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
* Add water chestnuts and chopped vegetables (reserving the grated carrots and green scallion slices) and cook 3-5 minutes, adding grated carrots at the end and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until vegetables are cooked but still have good texture.
* Push vegetables to the outside of the wok and add beaten egg to the center and quickly scramble until eggs are soft set, then mix with the rest of the vegetables in the wok.
* Add prepared protein, rice and soy sauce and stir until heated through.
* Toss with remaining green scallion slices and remove from heat
* Add salt and pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients:
Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze over the fried rice, Sri Racha, sesame seeds, chopped fresh cilantro, and/or additional soy sauce.
Tips:
* Ingredient amounts are only approximate, so vary your ingredients and the amounts according to what you have in the fridge.
* Starting the garlic and ginger in cold oil will serve to build more flavor by making the oil more fragrant; however be careful not to let it burn.
* Only use leftover rice as fresh rice will often give you a gummy final product.
* Instead of scrambling the eggs into the mix, you can also serve each dish topped with a fried egg. (I love doing a bacon fried rice like this and the runny egg provides the perfect sauce!)
* Do your prep work ahead of time to store in the fridge and your entire meal can be cooked and served in less than 20 minutes!
Most importantly be creative with it and work it into your repertoire to make meal planning less stressful.
Happy Eating!
