Thursday, September 24, 2009

Fried Rice Lunch: Faster, Healthier and Cheaper Than Drive-Thru


I threw together this bowl of fried rice for lunch yesterday. In the time it would have taken me to jump in the van, drive to a fast-food place, and drive away with my order, I had this made and half-eaten.

One of the things I love about fried rice is how quickly it goes together. All the time is in the rice -- it needs to already be cooked and chilled -- but if you have that already made and in the fridge, lunch can be ready in about five minutes.

Another thing I love about it is its versatility. Today I used all fresh veggies -- a couple of stalks of asparagus, a little shredded cabbage, a chopped green onion, about 1/4 cup of chopped green pepper, and several slices of zucchini, chopped. Other times I've made fried rice, I've just opened a bag of frozen mixed veggies and poured a little into the skillet. Still other times, I've used leftovers (veggies and meat) from a previous meal.

The technique is easy. Stir fry the veggies (about 1-1/4 cup total) in a little hot peanut oil in a large skillet or wok. Start with the firmer veggies first, such as asparagus, letting them cook a couple of minutes before adding the rest.

When the vegetables begin to get tender, push them to the sides of the skillet, and carefully pour in a beaten egg. Let cook until partial set, then flip to cook the other side. When the egg is set, use a spatula to chop it into small pieces. Stir the vegetables back into the mix.

Add about 1-1/2 cups of cold cooked rice, 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce (or to taste), and a little granulated garlic. Stir fry until the rice is heated through.

That's it! A quick, easy lunch in just minutes.

9 comments:

Heidi said...

I do this all the time when I have leftover rice and veggies. I always end up using more than a TBSP of soy sauce though!

Frances said...

I love fried rice! And you are right, it is so easy. My mom used to make shrimp fried rice a lot when we were kids. I love any kind of fried rice.

Annie Jones said...

Heidi: I was trying to be conservative for people who aren't saltaholics like me. :) I usually use a tablespoon or so of soy sauce, but then add regular salt to it, too.

Frances: Shrimp fried rice sounds good. It would have to be an on-purpose meal, though, because when we make shrimp, I never leave any leftovers. LOL

LisaB said...

Everyone keeps talking about fried rice making me HUNGRY! lol I guess I'll get up and cook some rice and get it chilled before supper.

Lisa B. said...

Ok, I honestly did not do that to confuse you. I didnt realize I was signed in on my photo blog. hehe

Anonymous said...

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Lisa said...

Veggie fried rice is my favorite! Looks delicious.

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

I love fried rice too - sounds yummy!

Annie Jones said...

Lisa B: You didn't confuse me...I knew it was you. :)

SonyaAnn: Flattery will get you everywhere...

Lisa: Thanks for stopping by. :)

Mary: Sometimes fried rice just hits the spot.