Fried Rice Sort-of Recipe

 My newest venture has utilized my new kitchen toy, the carbon steel wok: fried rice!  It's super-easy, inexpensive, and an easy way to use up leftover veggies and meats.  I've got to say, it ranks right up there with the quiche.  My second batch of fried rice was better, I think than any takeout I've ever had - I can't believe it's so easy!

Here's what I used:

-seasoned wok and wooden or metal spoon
-3 cups cooked rice, at least 1 day old, stored in a plastic bag in the fridge
-1 to 2 cups of veggies (frozen or fresh, chopped or diced: peas, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, bean sprouts, green beans, corn ... pretty much anything, really!)
-1 small onion, diced
-vegetable oil or peanut oil
-2 to 4 eggs, depending on how much you like and whether you're wanting to amp up the protein
-1" or so of ginger root, peeled and diced super fine
-toasted sesame oil
-soy sauce
-teriyaki sauce
-protein (optional) - could be chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp, even lunch meat or cured meats - as much or as little as you'd like

First, if I was starting with raw protein, I cut it into small pieces and heated the wok on high.  After adding about  1 Tbsp oil, I added the meat and stir-fried it until white on the outside.  Then I added a few good shakes of soy sauce and stirred it for about a minute more.  I placed the meat and sauce aside in a bowl while I prepared the rest.  Then I added another Tbsp of oil and cracked the eggs into the wok, stirring them until they were cooked (like scrambled eggs).  I put the eggs with the cooked meat and returned once more to the hot wok.  I added another Tsp of oil and the onions, stirring until they were translucent.  Then I added my cooked rice, veggies, ginger and the bowl of meat and eggs.  I stirred regularly until the rice was getting toasty (a little harder texture, a little darker color) and the veggies were all cooked.  I'd say that took about 5-8 min. Then I started seasoning the rice with soy sauce, about 3 generous dashes at a time and stirring, to taste.  I put a little teriyaki sauce in too.  Then, when it was just a little salty tasting, I offed the heat and added about 1 tsp sesame oil (a little goes a long way) and stirred.

I think this has got to be one of the best ways to use up little bits of veggies and meats in your fridge; I've even used the little bit of deli meat that never got made into sandwiches as the protein and it turned out great.  Add a small can of pineapple chunks (drained) or a half a diced red bell pepper to make it sweet.  Add cashews, slivered almonds, or chopped peanuts for a little crunch.  It's really that easy!  And it would be a great way to inexpensively feed many people - you know, the ones you're randomly blessing with hospitality. :)