Vegetable Fried Rice

One of my favorite comfort foods is fried rice. It’s best when you use rice that was cooked a day or two before, but in a pinch, I sometimes make it fresh, and I spread it on a baking sheet to dry out a bit. It’s a great way to use up all those veggies in the fridge but in a pinch, feel free to use frozen veggies. .

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Ingredients

Serves 6-8

Vegetable Fried Rice:

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

• 3 tablespoon canola oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups cold cooked long-grain rice

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 green onions, sliced

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Process

In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper. Set aside.  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt.  When the vegetables are soft, add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the rice and let sit for a minute so it the bottom crisps up a bit.  Stir and pour in the sauce mixture. Make a deep well in the center and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pour in the eggs, and let cook just until set, stirring for about 1 minute until they are “scrambled eggs”.  Give one last stir to incorporate the eggs and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds and serve.

Note: You can add as many different vegetables as you want, including fresh spinach, green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, and bean sprouts. You can also top with peanuts or cashews.