Serves 3
We love arroz chaufa, the famous stir-fried rice from Chinese descent, which Peruvians adopted as ours many decades ago. Addicted to its delectable simplicitiy, we make it at home with leftover rice, and any meat or vegetable lingering in the fridge.
1 pound fish fillets
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons grated ginger
½ cup snow peas, sliced
2 cups cold, unsalted cooked white rice
¼ cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup green peas, cooked
½ cup soy sprouts
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 scallions, white and green parts sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1. Cut the fish fillets in bite-size pieces and season with one tablespoon soy sauce.
2. Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or pan over medium heat, and add the eggs to make a thin omelette. After a couple of minutes, turn the omelette and cook just a few seconds on the other side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in thin slices. Reserve.
3. In the same wok, heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the fish, stirring carefully until golden but do not overcook. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
4. In the same wok, add the garlic, ginger, snow peas, red bell pepper, and cold rice, and stir-fry until hot. Add the green peas and soy sprouts.
5. Season with the remaining soy sauce and one teaspoon sesame oil. Turn off the heat and sprinkle everything with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
This recipe is very flexible. There are versions made with pork, chicken, seafood, or veggies, while others are made only with rice, eggs, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. The latter may be simple, but it is equally flavorful.