Leftover Tuesday: Fried Rice

Fried rice is a perfect leftover meal. You need rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and oil. A bit of ginger doesn't hurt (the powdered kind works great). After that you can stop. Or you can add more stuff if you have it. A little meat is nice. Eggs make it good too.

If you have leftover everything, this is a 10-minute meal. If you've got to make your rice or meat, it'll take you 30 minutes, which still isn't bad.

We had a little bit of pork (only about 1/3 C), some eggs, and some random vegetables--some spinach, some broccoli, and a couple carrots.

(Sorry, forgot to take a picture with the pork.)

Here's how you do it. I'm giving these instructions as a leftover meal. If you want an actual recipe, go here. And of course, if you need to cook your rice, do so. 

1. Chop your vegetables (I chop mine really small, but you don't have to).

2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium heat in wok or large skillet. Add ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. (Of course, you can use actual ginger, garlic, and onions if you wish. And you don't have to use that combo of spices; you can use whatever spices you have, though I really do encourage the ginger.) Let them cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). 

3. Add chopped vegetables to the oil. Add soy sauce. Be generous, but not crazy (let's say to start with 1/2 tablespoon). Cook until tender, but not soggy. (Note: You can use cooked vegetables if you've got those leftover too. Just heat through.) Add cooked meat if you've got it. Remove veggies and meat to a plate.  

4. If using eggs, add another tablespoon oil. Crack an egg or three into it. Add 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce and then scramble the eggs. Add them to your vegetables on the plate. 

5. Heat more oil (this is fried rice remember)--about 2-3 tablespoons--it should coat the bottom of your wok generously, but it doesn't need to be thick or deep. Add your cooked rice. Add soy sauce and plenty of it--start with a few good shakes and taste. You can add more ginger if you wish. You can add oyster sauce or plum sauce (my favorite) if you've got one or the other. If you don't, you might want to sprinkle a bit of sugar in to balance out the salty acidity of the soy sauce. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning. 

6. Add the reserved vegetables, meat, and eggs to the rice and stir it in. Make sure everything's hot and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve hot.