Easy Veg Fried Rice
Vegetable Fried Rice
Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- Garlic cloves, two in total, minced, costing $0.12
- A teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, priced at $0.12
- One medium-sized carrot, cut into small cubes, $0.16
- A single red bell pepper, diced into small pieces, costing $1.48
- Four green onions, thinly sliced, with a price tag of $0.48
- Two extra-large eggs, available for $0.39
- A one-cup serving of peas, frozen, at a cost of $0.49
- Divided cooking oil, approximately three tablespoons, $0.15
- Three cups of rice, pre-cooked and cooled, valued at $0.38
- Soy sauce, three tablespoons, costing $0.15
- Toasted sesame oil, a single tablespoon, priced at $0.30
Instructions
Step 1
To get started on your vegetable fried rice, you'll want to prep all your veggies beforehand so they're ready to go when you need them. Begin by mincing about 2-3 cloves of garlic - you want them to be nice and fine so they distribute evenly throughout the dish. Next, grate a small piece of ginger, about 1 inch long, until you have a tablespoon or so of grated ginger. As you work on the ginger, take a moment to dice up a medium-sized carrot and bell pepper into small, uniform pieces - aim for about 1/2 inch cubes so they cook quickly and evenly.
Step 2
Now it's time to add some protein to your Vegetable Fried Rice. In a small bowl, whisk together those eggs until they're just combined - don't overbeat them. Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat, about 325°F, and once it's hot, add 2 tablespoons of your preferred cooking oil and swirl it around to coat the entire surface. As the oil shimmers, pour in your eggs and gently scramble them until they're cooked through, which should take about 2-3 minutes, until they're no longer runny and are lightly set.
Step 3
Now that your skillet is still nice and hot from the previous step, crank the heat up to medium-high. You want to make sure there's a good amount of oil left in the pan to prevent your vegetables from sticking, so take a quick glance to ensure it's still nicely coated. Add your diced carrots and stir them in - you'll want to cook these for about two minutes, or until they start to develop a bit of tenderness. As your carrots are cooking, get your other vegetables ready to go - you'll be adding them to the pan soon. After the two minutes are up, add in your sliced bell pepper and the white, firm ends of your green onions. Cook and stir these for another minute, watching as they start to soften and blend in with the carrots. Finally, it's time to add in your frozen peas - just stir them in and cook until they're heated through, which should only take about a minute or so. You'll know they're done when they're nice and bright green, and there's no more visible frost. Once your peas are cooked, use a spatula to scoop all of your vegetables out of the skillet and transfer them to a clean bowl or plate, where they'll wait until it's time to combine them with the rest of your fried rice.
Step 4
Now it's time to bring all the flavors together in your skillet. You'll start by adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirling it around to coat the surface - this will help prevent your rice from sticking and forming clumps. Next, add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the skillet, stirring them in for about 30 seconds to release their aromas. Then, add your cooked and cooled rice to the skillet, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, or until the rice is heated through and starting to lightly brown, with a few crispy bits here and there.
Step 5
Now it's time to bring all the flavors together in your vegetable fried rice. To do this, you'll want to drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil over your cooked rice. In a small bowl, you can whisk these two ingredients together before pouring them over the rice, ensuring they're well combined. As you stir everything together, you'll notice the rice transform into a beautifully savory dish, with the soy sauce and sesame oil evenly coating every grain - turn off the heat once you've achieved this, and get ready to serve.
Step 6
Now it's time to bring all the components of your Vegetable Fried Rice together. First, push the rice to one side of the skillet, then add the eggs and vegetables back in, stirring gently to combine everything. As you stir, the residual heat from the skillet will warm all the ingredients through, so let it sit for about 2 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking and the vegetables are tender. Finally, sprinkle the remaining green ends of the sliced green onions on top and give it a taste, adjusting the soy sauce or sesame oil to get the flavor just right.
Nutrition Information
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My Tip
When cooking the eggs, whisk them lightly to prevent over-beating. This helps create fluffy scrambled eggs in your Vegetable Fried Rice.
Leftovers
To keep your Vegetable Fried Rice fresh, store leftovers in a shallow metal container to help retain crispiness. Reheat in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
Make It Your Own
Swap chicken for tofu and use tamari instead of soy sauce for a vegetarian twist.