There are few comfort food dishes as economical and easy to make as fried rice. Like many New Yorkers, I fall into the trap of grabbing pizza or halal chicken when I'm famished late at night and everything else is closed. I tell myself I really should go home and check what's in my kitchen. Then I end up grabbing that slice of pizza anyway.
Then I learned to just make extra rice when I do have the time to cook. Because you can always use it for something, whether it's fried rice, congee, or just reheated with other leftovers. Of those three, fried rice might be my favorite. And it also helps you use up other leftover meats and veggies in your fridge.
Over the years I've made many variations, including Edamame Fried Rice, Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice, Pumpkin Fried Rice, and just a simple Vegetable Fried Rice. But when you're also a huge fan of spicy food, eventually you'll also make one featuring hot sauce.
This Sriracha fried rice is vegetarian, but you can easily make it meaty by adding fresh or leftover chicken, pork, or shrimp. It's also kind of a tongue-scorcher, so if you'd like just a hint of spiciness, just cut the amount of Sriracha by half.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
5 or 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 cups cold leftover rice
2 to 3 tablespoons Sriracha
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Break up the cold cooked rice into smaller clumps.
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the oil and swirl to coat the base. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and cook for about 30 seconds, until just aromatic. And the mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
Toss in the rice and break up any remaining clumps with a spatula. Add the peas. Continue to stir-fry until the rice starts to turn golden, about 3 minutes. (Pro tip: If you like your fried rice suuuper crispy, like the rice in at the bottom of a paella or bibimbap dish, stir-fry for an extra 3 to 5 minutes.) Stir in the Sriracha, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: In a separate pan, fry an egg to top off the fried rice. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the egg if you’d like.
Transfer the rice to bowls, sprinkle the scallion greens on top, and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories
274.65
Fat (grams)
8.63
Sat. Fat (grams)
1.03
Carbs (grams)
42.67
Fiber (grams)
3.01
Net carbs
39.66
Sugar (grams)
3.90
Protein (grams)
6.88
Sodium (milligrams)
541.72
Cholesterol (grams)
0.00