Recipe: Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 rashers bacon, chopped in to pieces
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1.5 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce – plus extra to serve

Method:

• Cook rice as per your usual method. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again. Spread on a tray and if you have time, refrigerate for up to 2 hours (see notes).
• Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and swirl around to coat the wok.
• Add the beaten eggs and swirl to cover base of wok. Cook for 30-45 seconds or until just set. Carefully lift from wok, transfer to a chopping board and roughly chop.
• Heat remaining peanut oil in wok and stir-fry bacon for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Add garlic, shallots and peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• Add cold rice to the wok and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until rice is heated through.
• Lastly add the egg and tamari/soy sauce and cook for 1 minute.
• Season with pepper, and extra tamari/soy sauce (optional). Serve.

Notes:

• Whilst it’s not critical to refrigerate your rice, it will prevent the rice from clumping together when it goes in to the hot wok and it helps to achieve the caramelised flavour of fried rice. A good idea is to cook the rice in morning so it’s refrigerated during the day and you’re ready to go when it’s time to get started on dinner. 
• If you don’t have bacon on hand, chopped up ham works fine too.
• Any vegetables can be used – I always include finely diced red capsicum and carrot too.