Easy Fried Rice

Here's another one of those simple recipes, perfect for an easy post-election dinner (and using the Chinese take out rice from the election-viewing party the night before!). This is from the Washington Post's series, "Cooking for One" which is convenient, because that's what I'm doing. As you may guess, it's also a kitchen-sink recipe. Once you know the basics, you can substitute whatever you happen to have in the kitchen at the time. For instance, while it calls for red bell pepper and cauliflower, I used thawed uncooked shrimp, and frozen peas. Don't stress...just eyeball the amounts. And I didn't have any scallions, but I did have some leftover fresh parsley courtesy of last week's hummus recipe for some additional aromatic support.

Summary:
This preparation uses half the amount of rice typically called for in fried-rice recipes. The cauliflower and red bell pepper may be replaced by mushrooms, broccoli, summer squash or zucchini, but in that case the stir-fry time might need to be adjusted. This stir-fry is best accomplished in a wok, but you can also do it in a large nonstick saute pan; it will take a little longer and won't go as smoothly. (Bethie's note: I just got this terrific non-stick wok from Ikea. It's awesome and waaaay too big for my tiny stove. Get the more expensive one from Ikea, not the cheapo one)

1 serving (Beth again....ahhhh, I think 1 serving is appropriate if that serving happens to be for a giant. So much for the "cooking for one" idea)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil (or canola. Heart-health, people)
1 medium clove garlic, cut into thin slices
1 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 scallions, white and light-green parts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup cold, cooked brown or white rice
1 cup cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
1/2 medium red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, then cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce (I used a lot more then just 1 teaspoon...)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat a 14-inch, flat-bottomed wok over high heat for several minutes, until a bead of water dropped in vaporizes within a couple of seconds.

Swirl in the oil to coat the sides and bottom, then add the garlic, ginger and scallions, and use a heat-proof spatula to stir-fry for about 20 seconds. Add the rice, breaking it up with your fingers as you toss it into the wok. Use the spatula to keep the rice moving for 2 to 3 minutes, scooping and tossing and pressing the rice against the bottom and sides of the wok to sear it.

Add the cauliflower and red bell pepper; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until they slightly soften.

Make a well in the mixture to expose the bottom of the wok. Break the egg into a small bowl, then pour into the center of the wok; immediately break it up with the spatula, then stir-fry to incorporate it throughout the rice and vegetables. Cook for about a minute or until the egg is almost cooked through (but still a little wet).

Add the soy sauce and pepper to taste; stir-fry for 30 seconds or so. Serve immediately.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072200523.html?sid=ST2008072202527&s_pos=

Recipe Source:
From Food editor Joe Yonan; loosely based on a recipe in "The Breath of a Wok," by Grace Young (Simon & Schuster, 2004).


Results:
So, this is the 2nd time I've made this recipe, and it's just the best comfort food out there.
Note on take-out rice, from the WashPost: According to the Food and Drug Administration, a bacterium common in rice makes it particularly important that, once cooked, the rice be consumed or refrigerated within two hours and used within three days. Japanese cookbook author Elizabeth Andoh recommends freezing cooked rice for up to a month in resealable plastic food storage bags. To defrost the rice, place the opened bag on a microwave-safe plate; heat on high for 60 to 90 seconds or until the rice has thawed.

One final word on the Washington Post website: the first time I made this recipe, I was trying to locate it on the website by trying to find a way to search through all of the Cooking for One series. I wanted both the recipe and the accompanied article. I did not succeed because they hadn't grouped all the recipes with the articles and hadn't group all of the Cooking for One recipes together. It was a particularly dull day, so I emailed the helpful Help people for the Food section to explain my problem. Well, wouldn't you know it, but 20 minutes later, they not only emailed me the articles I was looking for, BUT ALSO said they would perform the exact task that I had been lamenting on it absence. So here, in all it's shining glory, is the link to all dozen or so of the articles and recipes written under the column of Cooking for One: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2008/09/12/LI2008091202786.html

Forget voting, this makes me feel special.