My Day: Start With Tamales...End With Egg Fried Rice

Sunday was a good day. Saturday I didn't feel good, and it was cold and rainy.   But, we had sun for a good part of yesterday and everything was much better. At dawn, Bob went off to do some rowing and stopped off at a local produce stand on his way back.  He planned on just buying some pistachios, but as is often the case, came back with a bag full of nuts, cookies, fruit, and tamales.  So, we had tamales for breakfast. They were good, but not as good as the ones from the Davis Farmers Market, which are a work of art.  But, it was nice to start the day with these. I had a chili cheese and a potato tamale.  And a cookie.

Here's some of the goodies Bob bought.  Actually, he did a good job. This stand stocks lots of snacky items, and huge baked pies, which he didn't buy.  The stand is about five minutes from our house and is a good resource when the farmers market isn't open.

For lunch I had some Greek style yogurt, blackberries, and pistachios, with honey drizzled on top. If you haven't had Greek style yogurt, please do. It's wonderful, with a thicker and creamier consistancy than regular yogurt.  If your grocery store doesn't have it, stomp your foot and demand it. 

Then for dinner, I made a very simple fried rice recipe from Seductions Of Rice. I love fried rice and try to keep leftover rice on hand in the fridge to make it.   This recipe makes the kind of fried rice that has almost no soy sauce in it, and a small amount of oil. It's much lighter in color and is similar to the kind of fried rice at my favorite San Francisco Chinese restaurant, Henry's Hunan. The taste of the wok frying really comes through in it. The recipe is very fast and simple, so you must get your ingredients all assembled ahead of time. You will not have time to do any last minute preparations once you begin cooking the dish.

You can vary the ingredients according to what you prefer. It can be vegetarian and made with cubed tofu, or cooked with a small amount of finely minced ham or bacon.  I used some minced bacon, green onion, carrots and red bell pepper. But, you can substitute other ingredients.  These cook very quickly, and after stir frying them for under 2 minutes, I added two beaten eggs mixed with a bit of soy sauce, into the center of the wok. Then I cooked the eggs, gently scrambling them until they were lightly set.  If you wish, you can cook the eggs separately and add them to the veggies at this point.

Then you add the rice, toss vigorously, then press the rice against the sides of the wok, to sear it. Then toss again and repeat pressing the rice against the wok. Do this for a couple of minutes, tossing and pressing, until the rice is done.   This rice isn't greasy and has a wonderful taste that's a little different than other fried rice recipes.   Of course, I also love the other types of fried rice too. 

Egg Fried Rice

(Seductions of Rice, by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid)

2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt, or 1 teaspoon of salt if using the tofu
2 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped ham or bacon, or 1/2 cup finely chopped tofu
2 large scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
about 3 1/2 cups cooked long or medium grain rice cold or at room temperature

Note:  You can soak marinate the tofu in soy sauce before using it.

Wisk the eggs, salt, and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat and when it's hot add the add the oil and bacon or tofu if using.  When the oil returns to being hot, add the vegetables and stir fry for about 30 seconds.  Add  the egg mixture and cook it for about another 30 seconds, breaking the eggs up with a spatula until it's set.  Add ham at this point if using it.  Add the rice and use the spatula vigorously, to break up the eggs and toss it with the rice.  With the back of the spatula, press the rice against the sides of the wok to sear it.  Stir fry this way for about 3 minutes, then serve.

Note:  This makes enough for two servings or 4 servings if part of a meal with generous servings of other dishes, such as soup and stir-fried vegetables or marinated salad.  Don't try to double the recipe in the wok because it won't sear the rice properly. I would cook it in two batches if you want more.

Comments

[Lydia]

I love making fried rice -- like your recipe, that doesn't call for tons of soy sauce. It's often Sunday night dinner for us, because we toss in all of the leftover veggies from the weekend.

[Tanna]

The market goodies are really fantastic looking. So close to your house - lucky!
I'm a big fan of fried rice, the hardest part for me is having leftover rice as my husband usually puts milk, cinnamon and sugar on it before I can get it into the wok.

[Patricia Scarpin]

I've always wanted to know how to make good egg rice at home - tks for this recipe, Sher!

[Freya]

This sounds like the perfect day to me!

[Kirk]

Hi Sher - That's quite an interesting culinary tour.....great variety!

[Lisa]

Yum -- tamales for breakfast! My kinda way to start the day. And that yogurt looks so pretty, with the blue from the berries and the pistachio green.

Nice fried-rice recipe, too . . .

[Glenna Muse]

The tamales look great. Sorry they weren't up to the Davis ones but glad you didn't have to work hard in the kitchen since you didn't feel good. The rice looked wonderful too, so good in fact that I just turned to Gene and asked "Can we go to Mr. Yen's for dinner?" I'm not in the mood to cook either.

[Jennifer]

Yum! Another one to make! (Egg Fried Rice.) I think I will make this one when my mom comes up in April! (I promise to take pics and write about it too!)

Speaking of, I made the Enchilada Stacks last night and will be writing about that soon! (I took pictures too!) Yours were definitely prettier than mine, and I added too much cilantro. I'm definitely more of a baker than a cooker! LOL!!!

[Sue (coffeepot)]

I am stomping my feet. I never had greek yogurt.

Oh well..I am sure there are many things I will never taste.

I am in a weird mood.

Sher your photos are great as always too.

[Julie tilsner]

There's a place down here in SoCal called Gourmet Tamales that makes the best tamales on the planet. Worth driving for. There's always a line down the street...and everyone is in it, including all the Mexicans (who don't suffer a subpar tamale for a moment). The chicken tamale with green sauce is like a religious experience. One day, Sher. One day. We're gonna try to make tamales ourselves. Which I understand is another experience akin to religion. Bring the wine!
(I'm gonna try this fried rice recipe too!)

[Anh]

Sher, I too love Greek yoghurt! I always have one big tube (1kg) in the fridge. :) And your fried rice loooks so yummy!

[Julie tilsner]

OMG!!! I just saw the Greek yogurt with blackberries and pistachios!!!!
Why must you make me suffer so?
Food porn!!

[Alisha]

I have just recently discovered Greek yogurt ... it's finally a yogurt I can eat. Yum! And adding blackberries (my fav) and pistachios? Looks like my new breakfast ...

[Melly53]

Your food pictures are to die for.

I grew up around lots of Greeks so always had the yogurt and real Greek feta. Love it.

I am craving tamales and Greek food now!

[e]

I adore greek yogurt! Those blackberries look fantastic, I have serious fruit/veggie envy. Maybe it's really just California envy.

[liz]

You only live a minute or two from Ikeda's? (Or so I am guessing by the labels on your goodies). Lucky you. I don't think I'd be able to resist stopping in daily for one of their pies. Theare awesome, especially the peach. Of course, I'm also addicted to their burgers...

[Callipygia]

I dont know what I like the best- the cookies, tamales, the yogurt fantasy or the fried rice. Sounds like a good day!

[Willa]

My dinner tonight was fried rice, tofu and vegetables with egg, but I fried the egg over easy and slipped it on top of the fried rice. With Vietnamese Sriraha Sauce it's pretty tasty!

[sher]

Lydia,

Yes, I think that fried rice is one of the great recipes. It's very flexible and you can use up odds and ends to make it. I never get tired of it.

Tanna,

Ah yes! I have to hide the rice from my husband. I put it in the back of the fridge with other food items in front of it. :):)

Patricia,

Well, thank you!!

Freya,

It was pretty good. The sun even cameo ut for a couple moments! :)

Kirk,

LOL!! Thank you!

Lisa,

It was a good day for me. I'm on a yogurt and fruit jag right now! I would eat it for every meal. :):)

Glenna,

I hope you had your Mr. Yen's. You've been working hard these days!

Sue,

It may be at your grocery store, hidden behind all the other yogurts? That's what happened to me. I was complaining to the clerk at the store about them not carrying it, and he calmly walked over and showed me several brands. Jeesh!

I'm always in a weird mood! :):)

Julie!!!!

Now I will be thinking about those tamales! I had fabulous soft tacos at a teeny little food stand in LA years ago. I still remember them. Sigh.

And yes, I have a fantasy of making tamales with other tamale fanatics. Imagine that, freezing big bags of them for the future.

Julie, Alisha, Melly53, & E,

I'm madly in love with Greek yogurt right now. I have my stash of it on one side of the fridge and Bob's non-Greek variety is on the other side. And I count the containers to make sure he hasn't taken one of mine. Imagine walking to the fridge with your mouth all set for that container of Greek yogurt....and they're all gone?

Callipygia,

Oh it was very good. May I say that the cookie was yummy? Well, I just did! :)

Liz,

They serve burgers at Ikeda ???? I have to go over there tomorrow and check this out! And don't get me started about those pies........... And the cookies. The dips and corn chips? Argh!! I have to stop thinking about that.

Willa,

That sounds fabulous!!! I love a fried egg on top of most things. (Well, not cake.) I must try this the next time I make fried rice. Thank you!!!!

[aria]

oh i love fried rice, this looks amazing. i never thought to use bacon, yum...

the farmers market here has the best tamales too, i dream of them.

[Melly53]

I picked up some great Greek yogurt at Trader Joe's today. Fage. It is the best!

[Julie]

This looks like a day of perfect meals to me. Especially tamales for breakfast. Definitely my kind of breakfast.