Ridiculously Practical Meals: Fried Rice

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Fried rice has always been a comforting food to me. Fried rice is always perfect, because it can have (almost) whatever you want in it. Craving a specific veggie or meat? Add it to fried rice.  Now, while I've always enjoyed consuming fried rice, I've shied away from making it. Why? Well, I'm terrible at making rice. There I've said it. I always want to make the perfect rice, but I don't have a rice steamer and instant rice from the grocery store just doesn't cut it for fried rice. Plus, the rice is supposed to be old, 2-3 days old is the sweet spot. Do I think ahead and cook things in advance? Never.

Then I had a brilliant idea! When I go to a Chinese restaurant, order more rice than I want. That's right, order so much rice there is no way you could eat it all. Only need a small? Order a large anyway. When you leave the restaurant ask for a box and take all your extra home. Save it for a few days and, wa-la, you have the perfect fried rice material! Of course, if you have a rice steamer or simply a higher skill level than me you can make your own.

What you will need: rice that is several days old (approximately 4 cups), 3 or 4 green onions, 2 large eggs, oil, and soy sauce (or other sauce of choice). Chop up your green onions and set to the side. Warm up two tablespoons of oil in the sauce pan. During this time whisk your two eggs together in a small bowl. Add eggs to hot oil. Scramble. Be sure to take them out of the pan before they are dry. Set aside. Quickly rinse the pan. Warm up two more tablespoons of oil. When hot, add rice. Fry on high while stirring constantly. Add one to two tablespoons of sauce. Cook until thoroughly heated. Add eggs. Stir. Add green onions. Stir. Serve while still hot!

I chose to cook up some frozen pot-stickers to go with this dish, but really you could eat this on its own, you could add tofu or meat, or eat it on the side of something else entirely. Bon appétit!