Zero Food-Waste, Healthy Fried Rice

There aren’t many big bowls of hearty warmth that satisfy quite like fried rice. In fact, if you have a little leftover rice and some leftover veg in the fridge, you’re primed for a fast, fresh fried rice dinner — tasty, filling and no food waste!

In fact, the more leftovers and random ingredients you have, the better your fried rice will be. Eggs, chicken, veggies, nuts or seeds, you name it, you can make it happen. The result will be crunchy, umami, satisfying and frankly, a really good meal that’s full of nutrients.

All you need is a wok or a 24-inch cast-iron skillet, then follow these tips for great, fast, fresh fried rice:

It might seem counterintuitive, but fried rice is best when it’s made with day-old rice — not fresh. If you have some almost stale rice, you’re just one step away from an incredible meal. If you make fresh rice and use it, the rice will be clumpy — not crispy, and that crispiness is what you’re going for. That said, if you have some leftover quinoa or another grain, feel free to use it in lieu of the rice and innovate.

Just a tiny bit of maple syrup over your fried rice ingredients as they’re cooking goes a long way. You could also use granulated sugar or brown sugar here. The point is to offset the umami and salty flavors of other ingredients.

Oil keeps the rice simultaneously moist and crispy. Use a neutral oil or a combination of olive oil and sesame oil is nice. (Be careful not to get too excited and overuse the sesame oil — it’s a pretty powerful flavor.) Then coat the pan with a nice slick of oil, and don’t be afraid to finish with more if you need.

Traditional fried rice recipes call for frozen peas, carrots and onion. These aren’t what we’re talking about here (but if you have them, toss them in). Instead, try cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, radishes and deep leafy greens … all of which go beautifully in a stir-fry. Don’t be shy; add them all.

Scallions, garlic, and ginger are traditional. But there are lots of ways to make fried rice really interesting. Try kimchi, bacon, cauliflower, shallots, kale, shrimp, broccoli, and pork shoulder … the possibilities are only limited by what’s in your refrigerator. In the recipe below, a combination of traditional and fresh ingredients is suggested.

The cook time for fried rice goes by quickly, as with most high-heat dishes. Before you ever turn on the heat, prep all of your ingredients. Chop your veggies, gather your cooked meats, whisk your eggs, and assemble your oils, vinegars and sauces.

Add your aromatics (onions and garlic) and any hearty vegetables to the pan first, then meats, then rice. Add delicate vegetables (like radishes and greens) closer to the end of cook time. This way, flavor builds, everything gets cooked through, and you won’t have any overcooked or mushy bits.

Fried rice contains eggs, but we’re not scrambling the usual way here — your pan is SUPER hot when you add the eggs, so they will cook very quickly. Move all of the rice and other ingredients to the side, then drizzle in oil and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Add the beaten eggs to the center of the pan and stir constantly so the eggs set and form threads that weave their way into your fried rice.

Just because your fried rice is done cooking, doesn’t mean you’re done building flavor. Add fresh herbs, sauces and crunchy toppings like sesame seeds to make it a meal. Once you’ve properly finished your fried rice, eat immediately.

Fast, Fresh Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 cups (110g) shredded carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups (270g) rotisserie chicken breast, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups (585g) leftover brown rice
• 4 large eggs, whisked
• 2 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, divided
• 3 radishes, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• Thinly sliced scallions, to garnish
• Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions

Heat the sesame oil in a large nonstick pan (a wok or a 24-inch cast-iron skillet) over medium heat.  Add the carrots and cook until slightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped chicken and cook until starting to warm, about 3 minutes. 

Push all of the ingredients to the side of the wok, drizzle the open area of the pan with olive oil and add the rice, spreading it out in an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes. Stir and repeat once more, or until the rice starts to become lightly golden brown and crisp.. 

Use a wooden spoon to create a well in the center of the rice. Add the whisked eggs to the well along with 1 tsp of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are almost set. At this point, stir the vegetables and chicken back in. Add half of the radishes and stir to combine.

Season the fried rice with 1 tsp of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, maple syrup and sriracha and stir to combine. Divide amongst 6 bowls, top each bowl with remaining radishes, scallions and sesame seeds and serve hot.

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 1.5 cup

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 358; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 176g; Sodium: 579mg; Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber:4g; Sugar 4g; Protein: 22g

Originally published September 2018

The post Zero Food-Waste, Healthy Fried Rice appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.