Monday, June 27, 2011

Easy does it

Fried Rice with left overs

DSC_0076It seems like summer is here finally. Strawberries went wild in our back yard and we harvested three times already. Roses are gorgeous! Longer day light means more activities. I need to make quick dinner before heading out the door. No time for fancy dinner (sounds as if we make proper meal every night?).DSC_0013

I have left over peppers from my last post ’Wrapped’ and cooked rice from last night. I started mincing peppers and onion but almost anything goes in fried rice. I didn’t have it but mushrooms are beautiful in this dish too. But does not matter, really. I look through the refrigerator for more clues, daikon? Nahh!  Like I said before “almost’. I omit frozen peas because my son does not like them. Oh for heaven’s sake! It’s good for you, you know? If I put them in, he just eats around it. Oh heck!. Why start the battle with an already adult child? At least he is always pleasant in his refusal and he does dishes. I used to have electric wok but it broke. I miss my wok when I am making this kind of dish or vegetable sauté (野菜いため). I wrote a memo to my husband for adding that to my birthday wish list.

I mince all the vegetables, just because I don’t like big chunks of onion in it so the other vegetable must be minced too, right? For that uniform look? If you don’t mind chunkiness, you save lots of time by not doing the task.  I found mincing vegetable somewhat therapeutic though. Soy sauce is my usual flavor source and curry or ketchup are also nice but surprisingly, the ultimate flavor comes from simply salt and pepper. Fried rice flavor, at least in my case, is dictated by left over ingredients and the chef’s mood.

Today’s Fried rice

Ingredients for 3 people

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • 1/2 each of medium size green, yellow and red peppers minced
  • 1/2 of onion minced
  • 4 slices of Canadian bacon also minced*
  • Cooked rice (I used brown rice)- about 3 cups
  • Oil-  vegetable oil,butter or sesame oil about 2 tablespoon.
  • Sesame seeds – toasted, crushed using a pestle**
  • Soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper (I prefer white pepper for this dish)DSC_0070
  1. In a cereal size bowl, scramble eggs. Add teaspoon of mirin and pinch of salt.
  2. Heat large frying pan over medium heat. Put 1 teaspoon of oil in and use a paper towel to coat inside of pan.
  3. Pour half of egg mixture into the pan and tilt pan to coat bottom of pan and cook 1 minute or less till egg is manageable yet not dry. Transfer to a plate. Repeat for other half of egg mixture. Cut baked egg in half inch square( it’s not crucial that how big as it will break in sauté process anyway). Set aside.
  4. In a same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add all the vegetable and sauté, stirring with wooden spatula until onion is transparent.
  5. Add meat and sauté till cooked. Salt and pepper. 
  6. Add cooked rice in, then using edge of spatula (not the flat side) move the ingredients around quickly to combine. You want fluffy rice so do not smash the rice.
  7. I added 1 tablespoon of butter here then poured soy sauce around the edge of pan. Move spatula quickly as you can to combine.
  8. Add prepared sesame seeds and baked egg, still moving the spatula fast to avoid mushy texture.
  9. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with minced green onion if you like. Serve immediately.

* Any kind of meat is fine. I like bacon in it too, no oil necessary if you are using bacon.

** Crushing sesame seeds is for nutrient reason. The body absorbs more good stuff in sesame seeds if you crush them.DSC_0080

The harvested strawberries from our back yard are gleefully used in crepes my husband made one morning and as a topping for ice cream. There are still plenty available and slugs will love them too. We just need to be careful not to eat a slug accidently.DSC_0006-1DSC_0017

7 comments:

  1. I love your fried rice. It's my favorite. I think mincing the veggies is what does it.
    And seriously. Who doesn't like PEAS?

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  2. I always enjoy eating fried rice and yours looks wonderful! I made chirashi sushi with brown rice today and it looks more like fried rice than chirashi sushi ;).

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  3. Mariko, Thank you. I could make more and eat more but it's dictated by how much left over rice I have then. In my house, no left over fried rice.

    Cooking Gallery, Oh, I love chirashi zushi. I know how pretty yours look. Because I saw it! You're really great cook.

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  4. Hi there Nin! Just poking in to say "hello" and to say, the photos look splendid, I love the bokeh in the photos with the basket, the flower sitting there dutifully and striking a pose.

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  5. I love reading your blog. You are an Amazing cook and I am learning from you. Thanks for taking the time to post.

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  6. Dear elle marie, Thank you for your comment. Taking photograph is still challenge for me. I'm envy of you having great vacation.

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  7. Wendy, I appreciate your kind words. Thank you for being my blog follower.

    ReplyDelete