We love fried rice at our house — served with some rubbed pork or sautéed tofu or even as the star attraction of our dinner, with a little Ginger Orange Sesame Slaw on the side. And Spring is the perfect season for it, what with the hens laying regularly again, the herbs growing like weeds, and peas and asparagus appearing as some of the earliest harvests from the garden. Feel free to stir in whatever’s in season — from kale and scapes to okra and eggplant. That’s the beauty of this recipe. It’s good no matter what you’ve got growing.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish
Ingredients
- 4-6 Tbsp. good oil, try refined coconut oil, avocado oil or well-sourced olive oil
- 2 spring onions, both whites and greens
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 cups assorted, in-season vegetables (try celery, green peas and carrots for tried-and-true or fennel bulb, Swiss chard and red cabbage to switch things up a bit)
- 1-2 Tbsp. fresh herbs (can be thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, cilantro, dill, mint or other favorites)
- 4 cups cold, cooked rice (short grain brown or forbidden rice are most nutritious)
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Prep veggies. Onions and garlic should be minced. Celery and carrots can be chopped into matchsticks or rounds. Greens and cabbage should be sliced into ribbons.
- Prep herbs. If using tougher leafed herbs such as thyme or rosemary, strip from stalk and dice. If using cilantro or dill, remove leaves from stem and mince.
- Heat wok or large cast iron skillet on medium high. Add 1 Tbsp. oil. When oil is hot, toss in prepared onions, garlic, veggies and tough-leafed herbs, stirring frequently. When veggies are browned and cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. oil, again at medium high. Add rice, soy sauce and pepper. Stir until rice is warm and browned.
- Push rice to side of pan. Add 1 Tbsp. oil and beaten eggs. Scramble eggs, while mixing them together with rice. Add veggies back into skillet and stir together until all is hot and well-mixed. Top with fresh herbs, such as mint or cilantro. Serve immediately.