Fried Rice

I love making fried rice.  It's easy, it goes with everything, and if you do it right, it can be very healthy.  You can use brown rice, and even picky eaters probably won't notice.  You don't even have to use rice at all for this technique to work: you can stir-fry any mix of healthy grains.  Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand (red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, etc.)  but this makes a nice basic combination.

This recipe is vegetarian, but you can make it vegan by eliminating the egg.

1/4 c. olive oil, plus one tablespoon
2 c. cooked brown rice *
1 carrot, diced
1/2 a medium onion, diced
1/4 c. frozen peas
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 egg

Over high heat, bring the 1/4 cup of oilve oil almost to the smoking point in a wok.  Add the rice and stir fry until the rice browns and starts to get scortch marks in a few places.  Use a spatula to press the rice down against the wok, and then flip it.  Repeat frequently as the rice cooks.  Remove the rice from the wok to a plate or bowl.

Add the tablespoon of olive oil to the wok.  Add the carrot, onion and frozen peas.  Stir fry until the carrot is tender and the onion starts to turn translucent.  Return the rice to the wok, combining it well with the vegetable mixture.  Add the soy sauce. 

In a small dish, scramble the egg well.  Make a well in the rice and vegetable mixture.  Pour the egg into the well, and cook it until it is almost to the texture of scrambled eggs, stirring constantly as the egg cooks.  Mix the egg into the rice and vegetable mixture and cook for a minute or twl longer.

 * I like to cook my brown rice following the instructions at Saveur.  It always comes out fluffy.