RECIPE: Fried Brown Rice with Veggies and Eggs

Cook 2 cups raw brown rice (to yield 4 cups cooked rice) and refrigerate the rice overnight. (A recipe for Perfect Brown Rice is on this blog.)

1/4 c peanut oil

2 onions, diced

1 tsp garlic powder

1 T fresh grated ginger root

6 eggs 

Sliced thinly carrot, 1 large or preferably 3 small. If using the large, dice it

1 c frozen peas, thawed OR 8 oz snow peas, thawed if frozen, or fresh

1 tsp 5-spice powder (see below for recipe)

1/4 c soy sauce

4 scallions, sliced thinly

*  *  *

5-spice powder:

1 tsp star anise (whole anise shaped like a starfish. Do NOT substitute ground anise.)

1 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp peppercorns

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp whole cloves

    
*Grind together in a spice grinder. Store in an empty spice jar. You can use a paper funnel, such as made from a corner of an envelope, to transfer the 5-spice powder.

You can buy ready-made 5-spice powder if you prefer. You’ll find it with Asian foods.

————————————————————————————————————————

First, cut up all the veggies. Set the carrots and ginger in one bowl and the onions in another, the scallions in yet another. Crack the eggs into a fourth bowl.

Heat the oil in a chicken fryer skillet or other 12” skillet. Add the carrots and ginger to the heated oil, cover, and cook 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the onions and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the eggs. Stir constantly for yet another 2 minutes. Remove this pan to a back burner. It is not necessary for the eggs to be cooked as though scrambled hard; they will coat the rice eventually.

In a stockpot (or other 8-quart pot,) cook the rice over medium heat for 2 minutes, breaking up any lumps. If you are using fresh snow peas, add them now. Add the garlic powder, 5-spice powder, and soy sauce, and stir thoroughly, ensuring thorough distribution of the seasonings. Add the egg/veggie mixture and stir thoroughly. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add the scallions and any thawed peas that you may be using, and stir thoroughly. Ensure that the rice has been completely intermingled with the veggies.