Seat Of Your Pants Fried Rice

You know how it is, it's the holidays and you're really tired.  And hungry.  My food for the entire day was one apple eaten in the morning, and as evening approached I was ravenous.  So once again, I decided to do a cleaning out the fridge recipe. Only this time I fixed fried rice.  This is strictly fried rice by the seat of your pants--no measuring, cursory chopping, and leftover jasmine rice from my favorite Davis Thai restaurant, Sophia's Thai Kitchen.  I'm not sure if this dish was that good, because I really was starving.  But it was so satisfying, it reminded me that food doesn't have to be complicated to taste delicious.  Of course, I was starving, so my judgment may have been affected by that.  But, Bob said it was delicious too.  ( I think he was hungry as well.)

There aren't pictures as I made it because I didn't want to stop and get the camera.  This is my memory of the way I made the recipe.  The results were based strictly on what was available in the fridge. The fresh bok choy I picked from my garden at the last minute is the only grace note.

Seat Of Your Pants Fried Rice

about 1/3 of a red bell pepper that was perilously close to going bad
5 baby carrots found hidden under some cilantro
5 or 6 small cremini mushrooms
1 boneless chicken thigh
3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce (not sure about the amount, I just glugged it into a cup)
about 2 Tablespoons of oyster sauce
1 tsp chili sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4-5 stalks of bok choy,  chopped as you wish
4 Tablespoons oil
about  4 cups cold rice, crumbled with your fingers to separate the grains, if necessary.  (Mine was Jasmine rice from a restaurant)

Combine the soy, oyster sauce and chili sauce, set aside.  Dice the meat and veggies into cubes or slices that you judge the right size for your mouth.  I like them kind of small because they will cook faster.  Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil until very hot in a wok or large skillet, then add the meat cubes and cook until done. Remove to a dish and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the wok and heat until very hot, then add the bell pepper, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms and stir fry for a couple minutes until cooked the way you like it.  Add the meat to the wok, then add the bok choy and stir fry for less than a minute. Then add with the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil.  Add the rice and quickly toss with the veggies and meat over high heat.  After about a minute it should be ready.  Eat and enjoy.   

Comments

[Tanna]

And the best fried rice is made with cold leftover rice. The fresh bok choy was more than a grace note, I call it inspired and you bloody lucky.

[gattina]

It's exactly how we Chinese treat the left-over or don't-know-what-to-cook-day! I won't change your lovely recipe a bit... but did you add garlic in the beginning (to "season" the oil?)

[mandira]

I'm drooling at the fried rice, I want it now...

[e]

Fresh bok choy from your garden? I'm green with jealousy.

e

[ann]

hilarious! yep, i've had those meals where you gulped it down so fast you have to ask yourself, was that really as good as i think it was, or was it good because i was starving...
and yeah, like e said, jealous!

[Christine]

Seat of your pants cooking is the sign of a truly great cook, Sher. In my book, you rock!

[Julie]

I think this kind of thing is completely satisfying and delicious always. And like e and ann, envious of the bok choy from your garden.

[Callipygia]

Hey that is what I most look forward to with take out- when you just dump every container into the pan with a bit of sesame oil and crack an egg over it! Looks delish, i'll be right over.

[Jennifer]

I have been jonesin' for some GOOD Chinese (what we lack here)...I think I may just make this someday! Thank you!

[bea at La tartine gourmande]

These dishes are always keeping surprises...It looks delicious...

[aria]

this sounds just fine! especially with the bok choy and oyster sauce. i love fried rice, even with minimal ingredients its always satisfying

[Sarah]

Ha, isn't creating new things out of leftovers so much fun? This also kinda reminds me of a story my husband likes to tell about when he was growing up in Brooklyn. He and his buddies never had much money, so for lunch they'd go to the Chinese takeout place by their school and order the "69- cent fried rice"--which the restaurant created out of all their leftover crap. Of course, the difference is that yours actually looks good whereas the "69-cent fried rice" I'm sure was pretty gross.

[Boston Chef]

Yum... oyster sauce is the best - must have oyster sauce, seasame oil, and Texas Pete's hot sauce on hands at all times! Amongst other must-have items, of course...

Your fried rice looks delicious, always good to work greens (bok choy) into the mix - just the thing to warm up with on a winter day!