the first time i heard of “American” vs “non-American” fried rice was at a restaurant in chinatown near a previous workplace. when i placed the order, the person asked if i wanted American flavor vs. non-American flavor. i never thought of it that way but i have tried to make fried rice on my own and it always amused me that it never tasted the same way as chinese take-out places.
m loves fried rice and while prepping our meal for the night, m decided to make some. to make sure k can have some we picked only ingredients that she can eat. m doesn’t add salt or pepper so add to your own taste!
ingredients
- 5 cups day-old cooked brown rice
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
- 1 cup organic sweet bell pepper, chopped into bites
- ½ lb organic firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped into bites
- 1 Tbsp oil
- water, as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
preparation
- heat the large frying pan or wok in medium heat for a few minutes.
- day-old brown rice may have hardened and stuck together so separate with a wooden spoon until at least in smaller clumps.
- add vegetables and oil to pan. stir fry for a few minutes until vegetables are starting to soften.
- add rice to frying pan and with your hand scoop some water on top of the rice and sprinkle over the rice before mixing with the vegetables.
- toss the rice and vegetables together and then cover the frying pan. change to low heat.
- after 10 minutes, open cover and toss the fried rice. loosen anything that may have stuck to pan.
- taste a little of the rice to see if it is still hard or has softened. if rice is still hard, sprinkle a little more water and cover.
- repeat until rice has softened and vegetables are fully cooked.
- serve warm with salt and pepper on the side.
Palatable Palette 