Healthy Fried Rice

There are some recipes in life that are simple, require little work or ingredients and are yet immensely rewarding. This fried rice recipe is one of them – at least for me! This is my go-to dish if I am cooking supper for one. It is a great way to use up left-over vegetables and left-over cooked rice.

Another thing I love about this recipe, is that it tastes far better than any rice you will buy from a takeaway. In fact if you are tempted to order takeaway (as all of us are at some point) then make a batch of this delicious, healthier alternative and feel really smug about your good life choices.

In Malaysia, we have something called Nasi Goreng. This is basically a fried rice dish that is like the Asian equivalent of bubble and squeak! You throw a bit of everything in there and serve with a delicious chilli sauce called sambal olek. This fried rice dish is inspired by Nasi Goreng, but this recipe is suitable for vegetarians (yay!).

Now, I tend to vary what ingredients I include. I add what strikes my fancy. This could range from seitan to mushrooms, to fried egg to kimchi! The ingredients that I have included in this recipe are staple ingredients that I always use: mushrooms, petite pois, brown rice, egg, Chinese five spice and soy sauce- along with the golden foursome: onion, ginger, garlic and celery.

I love eating this simple rice supper with lashings of my favourite chilli sauce, a fried egg and cold cucumber. But it works well as a side rice dish to curry, stir fried vegetables or meat. Now a key thing to do before you start, is to cook up a batch of rice. I don’t know why, but this dish works so much better when you add cold, cooked rice. Don’t ask me why. I have tried it with freshly cooked, warm rice – it just doesn’t taste the same. I tend to steam the rice a few hours before I need it, refrigerate and then use.

Here is how I did it!

Ingredients:

Serves four as a side dish, or two as a main meal.

• 1 cup of dry brown rice – cooked and chilled.
• 1 heaped tsp coconut oil
• 1 white onion (diced)
• 3 cloves of Garlic (minced)
• 2 cm cubed fresh ginger root (minced)
• 1 rib of celery (chopped)
• 3 white mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2 cup of petite pois
• 2 medium eggs (lightly beaten)
• 3 tbsp soya sauce
• 2 tsp Chinese five spice
• 2 spring onions (chopped)

To serve: Kimchi, miso soup, cold cucumber, seitan, a fried egg etc.

Method:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a wok over a medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, white onion, celery and ginger. Fry until the onion is semi-translucent.
3. Add the petite pois and the mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes until the mushroom begins to soften
4. Beat the eggs lightly with the soya sauce and the Chinese five spice. Pour into the wok, as if you are making an omelette.
5. Allow the egg to begin cooking, without disturbing it. This shouldn’t take long in a hot wok. Once the egg begins to cook, gently scrape it away to produce what looks like scrambled eggs.
6. Add the rice to the mixture and stir so it becomes mixed with the egg and vegetable mixture. You will notice that some of the egg clings to the rice grains as it cooks – this is good.
7. Stir in the spring onions and allow the egg to cook completely. Keep stirring to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the wok.
8. Serve immediately with your favourite toppings! (see serving suggestions above!).

This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. It livens up rice dishes and is a great way to sneak more veggies into your diet! It also tastes SO much better than any rice you will buy from a takeaway – saves money and is much healthier! ENJOY!