I peer into the fridge with my stomach growling. Half-cut bell peppers and onions stare back at me, and I spot a few aging floppy carrots from the farmers market hiding behind a tub of yogurt. My eyes land on a small Tupperware full of cooked Alaska crab meat, leftover from a birthday celebration. Some old rice is in there too -- perfect. There's not enough of anything for a full meal, but what is greater than the sum of its neglected parts? Fried rice to the rescue.
When I have a fridge full of random leftovers and veggies with a ticking expiration date, I know it's time to make fried rice. This is one of my favorite comfort foods and it's also a quick and easy meal to make.
Fried rice recipes vary depending on personal preference and also what you have at home. The essential ingredients are oil, rice, and soy sauce. The rest is up to your taste and or what you have on hand. Add bacon. Make it vegetarian. Throw in a secret ingredient and see if your family can guess what it is. Get creative. Have fun.
Fried rice with Alaska crab
Serves 4
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cups cooked white rice, preferably a day old
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 pound fresh Alaska crabmeat, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup minced yellow onions
1. To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
2. Heat a wok or large nonstick fry pan over high heat until very hot and pour in the peanut oil. Add the ginger, garlic and green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the rice and stir-fry until the rice is hot, about 5 minutes.
3. Create a small well in the middle of the rice, exposing the bottom of the pan. Add the beaten eggs to the well and immediately stir-fry to incorporate them into the rice. Once the eggs are cooked through, add the crabmeat, peas and sauce, and stir-fry until well combined and heated through, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. Adapted from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook recipe.
Shannon Kuhn lives in Anchorage, where she writes about food and culture. Reach her at play@alaskadispatch.com.