Fried Rice Perfected

I have always loved fried rice. It is probably my favorite food of all time. I used to love getting chinese as a kid, and would just get a huge plate of fried rice and nothing else. It is the ultimate comfort food, but as I've found lately, it is also very easy and versatile. It can also be very nourishing if you do it right. Lately, I've been making a big pot of rice a few times a week and chilling it. It is so easy to just throw some together if you have chilled rice already waiting for you. The kids even love it, so it is definitely a favorite around here. Here is my fried rice recipe:

*4 Cups cooked chilled rice
*4 Tbs fat
*4 Eggs
*Whatever veggies you have on hand

Start with your fat.  I usually chop up some bacon and fry it until done.  The fat leftover is perfect for frying, and the little bits of bacon are wonderful in your rice, although you can also use coconut oil, or even olive oil with good results.  After you have your fat ready to go, add your veggies.  Cook until tender.  When veggies are finished, add rice.  I probably cook it for about 5 minutes.  Just long enough to heat through and encorporate the fat all the way through the rice.  If you want to add eggs, just transfer your rice to a serving dish and scramble your eggs in your pan.  Add your eggs to your rice, and you are good to go! 

Yes, it is very simple. However, this is what I have come up with after years and years of tinkering. I think fried rice is the first thing I tried to learn how to make. I actually remember cooking it at my childhood house, and I don't think I did much cooking there at all. Yes, many years of trial and error...much trial, and many errors! But this is it, easy and so so good. I usually stick to the 1:1:1 ratio when making it. I just put 4 up there because that is the amount I make for our family for dinner. Here is the secret: cooled rice. I cannot stress this enough. Your rice must be cold, or it will turn into a big clumpy sticky gooey mess. Also, you must use a good fat. Do not use vegetable oil. Only good fats, our favorites are bacon fat, coconut oil or beef lard. I can't wait to try some duck fat... I am planning to try this the next time I cook duck. I bet it is out of this world! The veggies don't matter so much, whatever you love. I usually just do peas and carrots because it is the old standby and the kids love it. In this picture, I used leeks and kale. It was extremely yummy this way. Just use your imagination! Oh, and I almost forgot: Only flavor with tamari. That is fermented soy sauce, and the flavor is so much better than your average soy sauce... you will never go back! :) Enjoy!

This post is a part of Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet