When we have an Asian meal, fried rice is my go to side. There is always left over rice in my fridge. Shauna and I do tend to make more rice than we ordinarily should. So as the pork roasts in the oven, getting its golden char from the cast iron pan it sits in, I go about selecting additions to the rice. I indulge in my favorite pastime.....opening the fridge and looking in at the contents. I do have a new LG fridge...it is humongous. A behemoth that hasn't yet been quite filled as yet.We love the door-in-door feature, so milk, butter and orange juice is just a button away. The French doors swing open to reveal see- through containers of rice, barbacoa, mutton curry and cauliflower subji. And that's what you see at first glance! I have tried to pack leftovers in nooks and crannies and yet open spaces peer back at me! I do love this appliance. It has been a visual treat!
So I peer. I move containers to see what I can forage. I find some roasted pork belly. I find red peppers. A container of organic pea shoots looks inviting, a promise of spring in a mouthful. I chop onions, garlic, peppers. I break an egg in a bowl and give it a teeny whip- up. Leftovers sit on the counter, waiting to be used creatively.
The skillet shimmers with hot oil. The aroma of lightly browned garlic wafts through the kitchen. Scraping spoons shift and move soy accented rice. The roast makes an audible exit from the oven, beautifully lacquered.
Baby corn and mushrooms swim in a chili sauce.
I slice and fan the pork tenderloin. Rice sits in a colorful mound.
Fried rice with red peppers, pea shoots and crispy pork belly
Makes 4 to 6 servings
4 cups cooked Rice
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 small Onion
3 Garlic cloves
1/2 Red pepper
1 Egg
4 Spring onions
1 cup Pea shoots
1/2 cup crisp Pork Belly, crumbled (see Notes)
2 teaspoons Soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sesame oil
Cool the cooked rice.
Peel and chop the onion and red pepper into small pieces.
Dice the garlic very fine.
Trim spring onions and thinly slice them, using white and green parts.
Break the egg into a bowl and lightly whip to mix.
Heat canola oil in a non-stick skillet.
When it shimmers add chopped garlic and let the garlic brown lightly.
Add in chopped onions and red peppers and sauté on a high flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
Push the veggies to the sides of the pan and add the beaten egg to the center. Let the egg sit for a few seconds to set. Break up the egg with a spoon and sauté along with the veggies for 7 to 8 minutes. The veggies and egg should be tinged brown.
Fluff the rice and add stir it in.
Drizzle soy sauce over the rice and gently mix to incorporate the sauce.
Lower the flame and let rice sauté uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add pea shoots, pork belly and spring onions to rice.
Stir-fry well for 2 minutes.
Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.
NOTES
I used oven-crisped pork belly slices. Fried or oven crisped thin slices of bacon is a perfectly good substitute.
Pea shoots are not easy to find. I find them seasonally at Trader Joes? Frozen peas can be used instead.
You can use any vegetables finely diced in fried rice. I like the oranges, reds, greens as they look lovely in the finished product.
Fried rice is a great vehicle for fresh ingredients. It is also perfect for leftovers! The pork belly, remainders from pork belly tacos.( I will post the recipe ) The pea shoots usually go into a pesto or pasta, but in this recipe provide the toothsome crunch. My leftovers live another day. And we eat yet another variation of fried rice!
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