by Chris Stephenson

Created on: April 11, 2008

I love fried rice, but who doesn't? I, however, don't really see fried rice as one single dish. It is more of a way of combining leftover rice with leftover anything else and turning it into a one-dish meal. Of course, that's just the way I see it.

This "leftover" philosophy of fried rice also means that there are an infinite range of ingredients and flavors that can be combined to create new and interesting versions of fried rice. From the simple egg fried rice to the Indonesian Nasi Goreng (which translates to "fried rice", incidentally) to the Thai Basil-flavored Rice, you can make any number of tasty dishes that will fill your belly. (shiokfood.com)

A few things to note, you must use something like leftover, cold rice, because if you use freshly cooked rice, you'll get fried mush instead of fried rice. It would be best to allow the rice to set in the fridge for a day, but if you can not wait that long, place a bowl of freshly cooked rice in an airy spot for a few hours.

In addition, fried rice doesn't need exact measurements and precise cooking. If there are some scraps of chicken in the fridge, throw them in there. Got some peas and carrots? Put those in there too. Fried rice is a very versatile dish that you can get extremely creative with.

But anyway, here is my personal recipe of fried rice, it's not a difficult recipe to follow, rather simple so most anyone can make it. I really hope you enjoy it, all of my friends and certainly do! And remember, this is just how I make it, you can change it up however you like!

Ingredients:

- 1 - 2 green onions, as desired
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
- 4 cups cold cooked rice
- 1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired
- Chopped carrots and peas, as desired

Preparation:

1. Wash and finely chop the green onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.
2. Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice, carrots and peas. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce or oyster sauce as desired.
4. When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg back into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.
There! That's not so hard now is it? I really hope you enjoy this recipe, but most importantly, enjoy!

Sources: www.about.com, www.shiokfood.com

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