I never gave fried rice the time of day until I discovered world-famous French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s version. Chef Vongerichten shallow-fries ginger, garlic, leeks and other ingredients separately before carefully combining everything in one bowl. It is exceptionally delicious . . . and a little too complicated for my everyday life. Since we often have leftover rice, either from a previous supper or a Thai delivery, I simplified Jean- Georges’s concept and came up with this shortcut. Now this is a fast weeknight one-pot wonder meal that you can adjust to suit your tastes and what’s in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 5 teaspoons chopped ginger fresh
- 2 to 3 cloves thinly sliced garlic
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup small broccoli chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 chopped pepper red or yellow
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups white rice day-old
- 1½ cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil sesame oil
METHOD
1. Heat the canola oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes or until softened. Add the onion and cook another 2 minutes, increasing the heat
If the onion isn’t sizzling gently. Add the broccoli and salt and cook another 2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook 1 minute.
2. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until rice is very hot.
3. Make a little space in the centre of the pan and crack in the eggs. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, mix up the eggs. They will start to cook, so start incorporating quickly into the rice, stirring constantly until the egg cooks and the pan looks dry.
4. Stir in the chicken and cook until everything is piping hot. Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Tip: Day-old rice works best, but if you’re desperate for fried rice now, cook the rice, spread it out on a baking sheet and pop it in the fridge to cool completely before using it.
Switch it up: You can use almost any vegetable in this dish, from frozen edamame to canned corn to zucchini. The same goes for the protein: use cooked shrimp or beef or tofu.