Easy Fried Rice

 I have always liked fried rice from the local Chinese take out but was concerned about all of the salt it contained.  I modified a few recipes and came up with the following.  I was extremely happy with the results.  This taste just like take out without the salt lick! :)  I also tried it with shrimp instead of chicken and it worked as well. 

 

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients

            ¾ cup finely chopped onions                                

2 ½ tablespoons oil                                    

1 eggs, lightly beaten  ( or more eggs if you like)

3 drops soy sauce

3 drops sesame oil

8 ounces cooked lean boneless pork or 8 ounces chicken, chopped        

½ cup finely chopped carrots     ( very small)

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

4 cupscold cooked rice, grains separated ( preferably medium grain)

4 green onions, chopped

2 cups bean sprouts

2 tablespoons     light soy sauce ( add more if you like)

Directions
                               

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add chopped onions and stir-fry until onions turn a nice brown color, about 8-10 minutes; remove from wok.
2. Allow wok to cool slightly.
3. Mix egg with 3 drops of soy and 3 drops of sesame oil; set aside.
4. Add 1/2 tbsp oil to wok, swirling to coat surfaces; add egg mixture; working quickly, swirl egg until egg sets against wok; when egg puffs, flip egg and cook other side briefly; remove from wok, and chop into small pieces.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add selected meat to wok, along with carrots, peas, and cooked onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add rice, green onions, and bean sprouts, tossing to mix well; stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp of light soy sauce and chopped egg to rice mixture and fold in; stir-fry for 1  minute more; serve.

I had a drink and snack at the Holy Grale last night and totally loved the place. They have an amazing selection of craft beers from around the world and a delicious snack menu. I ordered a Norwegian Nogne 0 Kollaborator Doppelbock - 8.5% ABV and a dish of poutine (fries, cheese curds and gravy) and I was stunned by the tastes of both. The Holy Grale is incredibly small and seating can be problematic on a weekend. Beware - they do small pours, 12 ounces , so at $6.75 my stout was very pricy. Catching a buzz here could prove to be very very expensive. The staff know their beers and are very friendly. A few questions pointed me to a beer that I can honestly say I loved on first sip!

Condensed Milk

Condensed Milk
I was watching an episode of a cooking show the other day and they mentioned that the Vietnamese use condensed milk to lighten and sweeten their coffee. This method is popular due to the difficulty in keeping dairy products in a tropical environment. I was immediately curious to try this method and see how it tasted. My first stab was to use about 3 Tbsp for a large mug of Cafe du Monde chicory coffee.The result was delicious! There is a nice balance between the milk and sugar and has a good finish. I think I have found a new habit!

Harvest -

Harvest on East Market Street