Hunger and inspiration collided to make me a fan of Fried Rice. When I was little I never understood why people liked to order Fried Rice at Chinese restaurants. Really, eggs in rice? No thanks. Now that I am vegan, that seems even worse to me than it did in my childhood. My feelings about fried rice changed this year by sheer necessity. When I get hungry, my brain shuts off and I have serious trouble figuring out what I want to eat. I can look in to a fully stocked refrigerator and loudly proclaim, “there is nothing to eat!” Recently when I felt this happening, I saw some brown rice in the refrigerator that Ethan had made a few days before (yay for bulk cooking). I grabbed the rice, marinated and baked tofu, and some odds and ends to create a quick, easy and delicious Fried Rice. If you want to plan ahead and make your own baked tofu, our Teriyaki Marinated Tofu would be great here. If you don’t have tofu, tempeh would work great in the Fried Rice as well.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2-4
Ingredients:
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 cup marinated and cooked tofu or tempeh cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted in a strainer at room temperature
Directions
1. Put the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and soak until re-hydrated, about 20 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, and cut mushrooms in quarters. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a well-seasoned wok or large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the scallions and carrots and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and ginger, stir-fry for 1 minute more.
4. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and rice and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the tofu and peas. Cook, stirring until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Who would have thought these simple ingredients would make a me a fried rice fan?
