fried rice

Watching cooking shows is good for inspiration. Two of our current favorites are #SomebodyFeed Phil and #TheChefShow, both on Netflix. We watched Asian segments where they’re cooking fried rice on both recently.

Fried rice isn’t that hard to make if you’re into cooking, but good fried rice is an art form. Here’s a few memorable ones from past travels:

Spice Market in the Meat Packing district of New York back when it first opened had this amazing smokey, charred flavored fried rice. Of the whole experience that night, it’s what Stu kept going on about, even more than Tea Leoni (Madame Secretary) being at a nearby table. Spice Market is now closed. Shame, as we haven’t been able to replicate that food memory at home.
Hakkasan in Shanghai has the fluffiest, lightest fried rice and we’d had such an amazing meal that night we couldn’t finish it. We asked to take it with us, and had to sign a waiver. Totally worth it for hotel room breakfast, with spoon-like vessels we made out of the take away box it was in. (We forgot to ask for chopsticks to go!) Still totally awesome.
Bashi at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes changes theirs up regularly. Sometimes it’s pineapple, other times it’s lobster or duck, and it’s always fun to see what they are doing. Since Angie does some client work out there, we’ve gotten to enjoy it a few times, and it, too, is a big enough portion for leftovers for breakfast overlooking the ocean, and (sometimes, maybe, hopefully) a pod of dolphins.
Last but certainly not least, there’s House of Nanking in Chinatown in San Fran, which is to die for, with a fun atmosphere: subway tile walls and photos of cooking celebs like Jamie Oliver. And where else is more like being back in China than Chinatown?

The rich flavors in all of these different fried rice dishes almost make us feel as if we’re back in China, Singapore, Vietnam or Thailand. Damn, we like fried rice & travel.

Since we can’t go back yet here’s our fried rice at the moment:

This one is less “recipe” and more “go with what you’ve got” but here’s the essence:

Leftover jasmine rice (or let’s face it, we cooked it on purpose just for fried rice), dried out for a little while on a baking sheet.
Some vegetable oil, and some sesame oil.
Cook an egg (omelette or scramble), and set to the side.
Cook the shrimp adding chopped garlic and ginger, set to the side.
Stir fry whatever chopped veg you like – think the one in the photo was just carrot, onion & yellow bell pepper.
Add rice, soy sauce (tamari if GF), and more sesame oil, if desired.
Add in chopped greens (spinach this time), chives, and frozen green peas.
Add back in egg & shrimp.
Taste, adjust seasoning and enjoy.
(And if you read all the above, you know we’re going to say it’s awesome as next morning’s breakfast, too, and with a runny egg on top if you like that sort of thing!)