Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Veggie Fried Rice

Leftover Rice Becomes New Dish


Simple ingredients.
3 Tablespoons butter or olive oil, divided
4 cups leftover rice, brown or white
1/4 head of green or white cabbage
2 stalks of celery
1/2 medium carrot
1 small knob fresh ginger
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon Low sodium soy sauce
3 green onions

Turn on hotplate and heat frying pan over medium heat.  Take care not to overheat the pan if it is nonstick.  

Meanwhile, prep celery and cabbage. 

To keep cooking time short, slice
celery as thinly as possible.
Remove core from cabbage; slice
lengthwise in 2 sections, then slice
into thin shreds.

Using a chef's knife, slice celery as thinly as possible on the diagonal.  Cut the core from the cabbage and slice it into thin shreds like sauerkraut.  Peel the ginger using the edge of a metal spoon.

A metal spoon easily removes the peel from ginger.


When pan is hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat bottom of pan.  Add rice to pan, spreading it in an even layer without pressing down.  Cook 5 minutes without stirring.  Using a pancake turner, turn rice over and cook 3 minutes.

Spread rice in a thin layer without pressing down.


Clear the center of the pan by pushing rice to the sides in a ring shape.  Add 1 Tablespoon butter, the celery, and cabbage.  Grate carrot and 1 Tablespoon of ginger on top and cook 6 minutes, until nearly tender.

Rice is pushed to sides to make room for veggies.
Grate carrot & ginger directly into pan.

Stir the rice and veggies together.  Create two 3-inch openings in the rice, add a dab of butter to each, and crack an egg into each hole.  Pop the yolk and scramble the eggs, stirring occasionally within each opening, until set.


Add a whole egg to each buttered opening.


Stir everything together and cook a minute or two longer to be sure the egg is done.  Use kitchen shears to diagonally snip green onions (both the green and white parts) on top, add soy sauce, and stir well.

Serve 1/4 cup Veggie Fried Rice in a sample cup and offer additional soy sauce on the side.

Notes for Cooking Skills Educators:
Sample size:  1/4 cup
Serving ware:  4 oz. paper sample cups
Number of samples:  about 16
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cooking time:  17-20 minutes


Supply List: 
     (in addition to ingredient list and Food Demo Kit)
  • Large saute pan (or electric skillet with lid + extension cord)
  • Hotplate tote
  • Grater 

Message:  Tastier than take-out!

Talking Points:
  • Rice must be leftover, not freshly steamed.  It should be chilled overnight before making the recipe.
  • If you use stainless steel rather than nonstick cookware, increase the butter by 1 Tablespoon.
  • Veggies must be cut thinly or shredded so that they cook quickly.
  • Add leftover chicken, ham, or beef cut in small pieces.
  • Vary the veggies, using up what you have on hand either fresh or leftover:  green beans, corn, zucchini, mushrooms, kale, spinach, etc.
  • Fresh ginger is easily frozen in a freezer bag.

Survey Questions:
  1. Did you like the Veggie Fried Rice?  (icebreaker question)
  2. Have you ever tasted homemade fried rice?
  3. How often in the last month have you cooked with brown rice?
  4. How likely are you to make the recipe in the next month?

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