Recipe that will make your mouth water

CHICKEN FRIED RICE

This recipe will teach you how to do tasty chicken fried rice. The dish also includes vegetables (mushrooms and peas), and is topped off with spring onion. Serve with Thai chili sauce on the side for those who like it extra spicy.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes 

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

•         4-5 cups cooked rice, preferably several days old
•          1 boneless chicken breast or 2 thighs, chopped into small bits
•          1 Tbsp. soy sauce
•         4 spring onions, sliced, white parts separate from green
•          3-4 cloves garlic, minced
•          1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
•          1 red or green chili, thinly sliced (or less for milder rice)
•          5-7 fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
•          1 egg
•          1/2 cup frozen peas
•          2-3 vegetable oil
•          optional: 1 stalk celery, sliced (adds a little crunch to the dish)
•          STIR-FRY SAUCE:
•         3 Tbsp. chicken stock
•          3 Tbsp. fish sauce
•          2 Tbsp. soy sauce
•          1 Tbsp. lime juice
•          1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
•          1/4 tsp. sugar

Preparation:

1.      To prepare leftover cold rice: Pour a teaspoon or two of oil on your fingers and work through the rice, separating clumps back into grains. To prepare chicken: Chop into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour over 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, stir and set aside.

2.      Combine all 'stir-fry sauce' ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve the sugar and pepper. Set aside.

3.      Warm a wok or large frying pan over high or medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil and swirl around, then add the white parts of the onion, garlic, galangal/ginger, and chili. Stir-fry 1 minute, then add the chicken. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, or until chicken turns evenly opaque.

4.      Add mushrooms and celery (if using), and stir-fry 2-3 minutes, until mushrooms and chicken are cooked through. If your wok/pan becomes too dry, add 1-2 Tbsp. chicken stock or white wine.

5.      Keeping heat high, add the rice. Stir-fry using a spatula or other flat utensil to gently lift and turn the rice. Gradually begin adding the sauce you made, 1-2 Tbsp. at a time. Continue stir-frying 6-10 minutes, or until all the sauce has been added. Tip: The idea is to keep the pan as dry as possible throughout the frying process to create light and fluffy rice.

6.      Add frozen peas and stir-fry to incorporate. Then push everything aside to reveal the center of the pan. Crack in the egg and quickly stir-fry to scramble. Note that the egg will dry out the pan, which is what you want at this stage. Continue stir-frying everything together 2 more minutes or until rice is light and falls easily into separate grains.

7.      Switch off heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce until desired flavor and saltiness is achieved (I usually add 1 extra Tbsp. fish). If it's too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice. Top with reserved green onion. For those who like it extra spicy, serve Thai Chili Sauce on the side.

If using a stainless steel wok or pan (not non-stick): Non-stick pans make frying easier, as there is more moisture kept in the pan. But if you don't have non-stick (my own wok is stainless steel), the pan can get too dry, especially after frying the egg. Adding a little oil can help - just push ingredients aside and drizzle some into the bottom of your pan, then continue stir-frying. Also, this will give your fried-rice a restaurant-looking 'shine' when served. Avoid adding any more stock or other liquids when frying the rice, or your rice will become too heavy and lumpy.