Quote History Quoted:I am unapologetically resurrecting this thread. Fight me.
Here's the thing. While I'm primarily a carnivore, I really like me some fried rice. But the typical white rice I've been served my whole life? Not so much. Even the stuff I'd get served at Chinese restaurants. Now, however, as I'm getting on in years, I keep seeing that it's healthy and shit. And then I read this thread. SO....
I haz rice cooker. Just grabbed a cheap $20 Aroma from Walmart. 6 cup size.
I haz rice. 3 pounds of genuine Japanese rice from the oriental store. Short grain, unfortunately, since I didn't want to spend $12 on 5 pounds of jasmine that I might never eat when I can spend $3.75 and see if it's worth it to me personally to follow this path further. Guy assures me that what I got is good rice, and he's a long time acquaintance. It says Nishiki on the package. No idea whether that's a name brand or a type of rice.
I haz Chinese sausage.
I haz soy sauce
I haz fish sauce. Tiny little bottle of it, but there it is.
Now, what I need is recipes. Simple ones without a lot of varied vegetables. Vegetables are what food eats after all. Also, recipes that won't require me to spend a king's ransom on spices or specialty oils.
Also, a question. Lee and Perrins Worcestershire sauce is basically anchovy fish sauce, right? How stupid would it be to add a dash of that to rice?
It's just me here, so whatever I cook can do multiple meals.
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Worcestershire sauce is a LOT stronger than most Asian fish sauce. I wouldn’t use it as a substitute, since I can get fish sauce at the grocery store that’s 5m from my house.
First thing you need to realize is that for most of Asia, fried rice is how you get rid of leftovers. Often, even the rice is leftover (hint: yesterday’s slightly dried out rice makes the best fried rice).
Here is a rough approximation of the last fried rice I made:
I made rice yesterday, put it in a bowl, covered it with foil and left it in the ‘fridge overnight.
I love shrimp, but the amount I have (maybe 2/3 of a pound) isn’t more than a snack for the family. Shell/head/devein the shrimp and roughly chop. Put in a bowl with a splash of soy sauce, a splash of fish sauce, and a splash of rice wine. Let that shit sit in the fridge while I figure out what else I have to put in the rice.
Onions? Yep. Chop em fine (I just like it that way)
Garlic? Hell yeah. Chop that fine too. Lots of it.
Fresh ginger? Yep. Pulverize that shit, start with a piece about the size of my thumb.
Green onions? Chop the green part, save for later.
It’s going to need some sauce… juice a lime, add some sriracha or chili paste, some fish sauce, and a little more soy sauce and give it a good stir.
What else? I have some leftover grilled chicken thighs. Perfect. Take the meat off the bone and chop it up. Leftover Taiwanese sausage? Chop that up but be careful not to use too much… it can be overpowering.
Now let’s start cooking…
Wait, fried rice has eggs, but I don’t want big chunks of breakfast in my rice. Beat a couple of eggs, dump em in the rice, and stir it up until every grain of rice is coated.
Ok, let’s get down to business:
Heat up the wok, add some oil, let it get hot. Throw in some garlic and ginger (not all of it), let it get nice and fragrant. Now throw the shrimp in and stir fry until just barely done. Put in a bowl (a clean one, not the one you marinaded in, you savage).
Heat the wok back up, throw in a couple slices worth of chopped bacon (because everything is better with bacon). When the bacon is cooked, and the grease has rendered, add more garlic and ginger. Enjoy the smell for a moment. Add the onions and fry them. Then add the chicken and sausage. Get everything warmed through.
Hmm… not enough oil to keep the rice from sticking… add a pat of butter, let it melt. Dump the shrimp back in there.
Dump the rice in and start stirring. Keep it from sticking to the wok. Add some salt and pepper because I like it that way.
When the egg on the rice looks cooked, throw in the sauce and give it a good stir. Turn off the fire.
What the hell is that yammering from the other room? It’s mrs TXRB saying it needs to be “healthy”. Sigh.
Look in the freezer, grab a handful of frozen peas, throw them in, let the heat thaw them. Bingo, now it’s healthy.
Throw in the green onions for extra green stuff. Now it’s extra healthy.
Ready to serve.
You can get as simple or as fancy as you like with fried rice.
It’s quick and easy.