Simple and satisfying dinner featuring extra vegetables and brown rice.
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons + 2 t avocado oil or safflower oil divided
- 2 eggs scrambled
- 1 smallâ white onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cups additional veggies cut into very small pieces. options include snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated or finely minced fresh ginger
- 2 large cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (*see notes!)
- 1 cup greens (optional) such as spinach, baby kale or tatsoi
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce**
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- chili-garlic sauce or sriracha for serving (optional)
- Carbohydrate 14.5687328743815 g
- Cholesterol 4.9 mg
- Fat 5.84600077401085 g
- Fiber 2.45834445643416 g
- Protein 5.26972703845997 g
- Saturated Fat 1.35482328160251 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 3 serving (214g)
- Sodium 174.939110975892 mg
- Sugar 12.1103884179473 g
- Trans Fat 0.325051135122062 g
- Calories 127 calories
Step-by-step
- This recipe comes together quickly. Before you get started, make sure that all of your ingredients are prepped and within an arm's reach from the stove. Also have an empty bowl nearby for holding the cooked eggs and veggies. I'm suggesting that you start over medium-high heat, but if at any point you catch a whiff of oil or food burning, reduce the heat to medium.
- Warm a large skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium-high heat just until a few drops of water evaporates within a couple of seconds. Immediately add 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add the scrambled eggs and swirl the pan so they cover the bottom. Cook until they are just lightly set, flipping or stirring along the way. Transfer the eggs to a bowl and wipe out the pan with a heat-proof spatula.
- Return the pan to heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining veggies and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally (don't stir too often, or the veggies won't have a chance to turn golden on the edges), until the veggies are cooked through and turning golden, about 3 to 5 more minutes. In the meantime, use the edge of your spatula or a spoon to break up the scrambled eggs into smaller pieces.
- Use a big spatula or spoon to transfer the contents of the pan to the bowl with the cooked eggs. Return the pan to heat and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and mix it all together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the greens (if using) and green onions, and stir to combine. Add the cooked veggies and eggs and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tamari and sesame oil. Taste, and add a little more tamari if you'd like more soy flavor (don't overdo it or it will drown out the other flavors) or salt, if the dish needs an extra boost of overall flavor.
- Divide into bowls and serve immediately. I usually serve mine with chili-garlic sauce or sriracha on the side. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator, covered, for 3 to 4 days (if you used purple cabbage, it might stain your scrambled eggs a funny blue color, but it's fine to eat).
Why does homemade fried rice sometimes turn out wet and heavy instead of separate and light? The answer lies in moisture management and starch retrogradation. Starch molecules in cooked grains undergo retrogradation as they cool in the refrigerator, tightening their crystalline structure. This process prevents the grains from absorbing excess surface moisture and bursting into mush when subjected to hot cooking oil. Using cold, pre-cooked brown rice is the single most effective way to guarantee distinct grains that fry rather than steam.
Accompaniments should contrast sharply with the earthy, toasted profile of sesame oil and tamari. Acidic condiments cut through the dense lipids of the oil and enrich the palate; a sharp cucumber pickle seasoned with rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar provides the necessary structural counterweight. Alternatively, a sharp, cold cabbage slaw dressed in lime juice offers a crisp textural opposition to the soft interior of the cooked grains and tender vegetables.
Scaling this formulation up requires caution regarding pan capacity. Doubling the ingredients in a standard residential skillet overloads the thermal mass of the cooking surface, dropping the temperature below the threshold required to achieve golden edges on the vegetables and rice. Working in successive batches or utilizing a wide carbon steel wok ensures that the heat recovery time remains minimal.
Leftovers maintain structural integrity for up to four days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheating is best executed in a hot skillet with a few drops of water introduced to generate steam, loosening the starch bonds before crisping the exterior once more.
