Fried Rice, with or without Egg

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 20 minutes with cooked rice

F O

Made just like a stir-fry: You choose your other main ingredients in whatever combination you like — here, vegetables and tofu — and cook them one or two at a time, each in a little bit of oil over high heat (a nonstick or well-seasoned pan is essential), until they are pretty much done, then dump into a bowl. Warm them all together in the pan before serving.

This should be made with leftover or cooked-ahead rice. Warm just-made rice clumps together, but when cooked rice is chilled — even for a few hours — it dries out and separates into individual grains, allowing the rice to be stir-fried with a minimum of oil and to crisp easily. You can use the rice that comes with takeout, but your own basmati — brown or white or both — will give superior results.

• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (any color), cored, seeded, and chopped
• 1½ cups cubed firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or to taste
• 3–4 cups cooked white or brown rice (preferably basmati or jasmine)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (optional)
• ¼ cup rice wine, sherry, white wine, vegetable stock (pages 97–100), or water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions or chopped fresh cilantro

1. If the peas are frozen, soak them in cold water to thaw while you begin cooking. Put 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the vegetables threaten to scorch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl.
2. Add the tofu to the oil and cook, again over high heat, stirring infrequently, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add to the bowl with the vegetables. Drain the peas if necessary and add them to the oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, for about a minute, or until hot. Add them to the bowl.
3. Put the remaining vegetable oil in the skillet, followed by the garlic and ginger. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps with your fingers and tossing it with the oil. When all the rice has been added, make a well in its center and break the eggs into it if you’re using them; scramble them a bit, then incorporate them into the rice.
4. Return the tofu and vegetables to the pan and stir to integrate. Add the wine and cook, stirring, for about a minute, until everything is hot. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, then taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off the heat, stir in the scallions, and serve.

Fried Rice with Frozen Vegetables No apologies; this is good: For the peas, substitute 1 to 2 cups cup frozen vegetables of your choice; there are a lot of interesting mixes now available in supermarket freezers. You can even use frozen bell pepper strips if you like and probably never notice.

Fried Rice, Thai Style In Thailand, they call this Chinese food: In Step 4, stir in a teaspoon or 2 (to taste) red curry paste. Garnish with cilantro and scallions.

Pineapple Fried Rice Undeniably popular, for good reason: In Step 4, stir in 1½ cups chopped fresh or drained canned pineapple when adding the rice. Adding a chopped tomato at the same time, along with a little ketchup, will give you a more complex flavor.