(Not) Fried Rice

Here’s a recipe a couple of my friends have been asking for since March, and I keep forgetting to email it to them. It’s one of the first recipes I ever learned, and is really quick and easy and great when you’re hungry and just want to shovel something down fast.

My mum calls it Fried Rice, but there really isn’t any frying of rice involved, and there are a lot more vegetables in it than in the conventional Chinese Special Fried Rice. Having said that, you can really put any vegetables in it you want, so feel free to make your own variations.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Peanut oil and a dash of sesame oil
• 1 small onion or a couple of spring onions if you prefer, chopped
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 4 rashers of bacon, rind off, sliced into thin strips
• 1 carrot, sliced, chopped or in strips
• 1 small zucchini, sliced, chopped or in strips
• 2-3 button mushrooms, peeled and sliced
• 1 small can of baby corn (you can also use fresh if you prefer)
• 1/2 a cup of frozen peas
• 1 stick of celery, sliced
• Any other vegetables you like, including but not limited to bean sprouts, water chestnuts, green beans, asparagus etc
• 1 cup cooked rice per person
• Soy sauce (I recommend Kikkoman Japanese soy sauce)

Method:

In a non-stick pan or wok (or a lightly oiled pan/wok) pour in the eggs to form a thin omelette. When this is browned on the bottom and firm on the top, take it out with a spatula and set it aside.

Pour a small amount of peanut oil and a dash of sesame oil into the pan/wok and fry the onion, garlic and ginger together for a couple of minutes. Then add the bacon strips and fry until the bacon is well browned. You may want to tip off some of the fat.

Put in all the other vegetables and stir fry them for 2-5 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Slosh in about 2 or 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and reduce the heat. While the vegetables are simmering, slice the omelette into thin strips and add it back into the pan. Next, add the cooked rice and stir until everything is coated in soy sauce. You can add more soy sauce to taste, and if you like a bit of extra flavour you can add a dash of oyster sauce or concentrated chicken stock.

If it looks a bit wet, keep it on the heat for a couple more minutes to let some water evaporate, otherwise you can serve it immediately.

We usually eat this as a meal in itself, but I have also served it as a side dish to some stir fried beef, chicken or lamb.

Enjoy!