Vegetable Fried Rice/Chicken and Peapods
Lately I've found myself craving the kind of food served at the local Chinese restaurants "back home" in the States, but good, affordable restaurants are few and far between in my neck of the woods, so I've starting experimenting in my own kitchen. The following are two recipes I've made lately, and my family has put both of them on the "do-again" list.
Vegetable Fried Rice
- 1 can water chestnuts, drained
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 2-3 carrots, chopped
- ½ cup baby corn, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- olive oil
- 4 servings cooked jasmine rice, completely cooled
- 2 tbsp. peanut oil (otherwise, olive oil works well)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
In a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, stir-fry the vegetables in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.
Beat the eggs, sesame oil, and ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the peanut or olive oil and when it is very hot and has begun to smoke slightly, add the cold rice. Stir-fry until it is heated through, 3-4 minutes.
Drizzle the egg mixture over the rice and continue to stir-fry until the eggs have set and the contents of the pan are dry, 3-4 minutes.
Add the remaining ½ tsp. salt and the pepper and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes longer, then add the stir-fried vegetables. Stir several times until well-mixed, then turn onto a platter and serve immediately.
*You can easily substitute a frozen mix of wok vegetables for the fresh vegetables.
Chicken and Peapods
- 1 pound boned, skinned chicken
- 1 large white onion
- 1 package frozen Chinese peapods
- vegetable oil
Stir-fry Sauce
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small piece fresh gingerroot
- pinch of sugar
- cornstarch
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Crush the garlic and grate the gingerroot, then add them to the broth in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the pinch of sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch, a dash of soy sauce, and a small amount of sesame oil (measurements will depend on individual taste -- sample the sauce mix and adjust the seasonings if necessary). Set bowl aside.
Cut the chicken into very thin strips. Slice the onion thinly and separate into rings.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of neutral-flavored vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot and smoking a little, add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through. Add the peapods and onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low. Pour in the sauce mix and heat, stirring, to a simmer. Remove from heat
Serve with steamed rice.